VIDEO: Mental Health Resources Lacking For Mentally Ill

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Local law enforcement agencies are faced with a major strain due to the lack of mental health resources statewide.

Mentally ill inmates are forced to stay in county jailhouses because Mississippi does not have a statewide mental facility.

Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said dealing with mental illness is a “major problem” and that the subject is a hot topic amongst local law enforcement.

“…to get that type of training it takes years, it takes degrees to deal with the mentally ill”, said Scott, “We’re just not equipped for that.

“We do the best we can but again all we’re doing is putting a band aid on a major problem…”

The Magnolia State is designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area, or HPSA.

The Department of Health and Human Services states that for mental health, the population to provider ratio must be at least 30,000 people to one mental health professional.

Mississippi has a total of 41 mental health care professionals, and needs 59 more to remove the HPSA designation, meaning the state has around one professional for every 63,000 people.

Baptist Memorial Golden Triangle Referral Development Coordinator Junauh Allgood said the hospital has one psychiatrist employed, and are actively looking for two more to ease the workload of 30 bedded patients.

“We are constantly having to find placement in other areas for people that come in…”, said Allgood, “…We’re having to treat our patients as best as we can here but also be mindful that there is a figurative line out the door for patients to come in and get treatment.”

Director of the Behavioral Health Center Rick Freeze said with the current shortage of mental health professionals, keeping mentally ill inmates in jail is “unfortunately” for the best.

“…in the local area, jail is, as ill advised as it is, at least its keeping that person safe so they don’t do harm to themselves or others”, said Freeze.

Scott said Community Counseling has been a big help to the department when it comes to assisting mentally ill patients.

Scott also said the difficulty comes when mentally ill inmates are “just too violent” and doesn’t want to put anyway in harms way.

Scott asks the public to reach out to their local legislators to help come up with a solution.

“At some point in time, and they’ve been kicking the can down the road on this thing, but at some point in time, we’re going to have to have a good, long, hard talk about it and come up with resolutions…”, said Scott.

“If they’re not able to be dealt with on the criminal side of it, and these individuals have to be released because they are not competent to stand trial…and our constitution gives protections there…you’re talking the potential of a violent offender being put back onto the streets without going through the criminal justice system because of the mental illness”, explained Scott.

Baptist Memorial, Community Counseling, Lowndes County Detention Center, and other county leaders are working together to obtain a grant to fund a program that would send licensed mental health professionals to the jail for assistance.