PC Press Release
Contact: Lindy Russell
626.254.5023

Almost 25% of prison inmates live with serious mental illness - This sobering statistic led to topic of this year’s M.I.L.E.S. Conference



Arcadia, CA—October 23, 2010--About two million people with serious mental illness are booked into jails each year according to a white paper released by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). In prisons, almost 25 percent of inmates live with serious mental illness, but their conditions are often under-treated – or not treated at all.  These sobering statistics led to the topic of this year’s annual M.I.L.E.S. Conference, “Lockup: Insight into Correctional Mental Health Services”. Now in its 19th year, the annual M.I.L.E.S. Conference will be held on Thursday, October 28, at the Los Angeles/San Gabriel Hilton Hotel, 225 W. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Registration required online at www.myPCTI.org.

 
Joel Dvoskin, PhD. ABPP, one of America’s leading forensic psychologists and experts in the field of correctional mental health systems, is this year’s presenter at the half day conference for law enforcement and mental health care professionals. Nearly 300 registrants will attend representing law enforcement agencies; social service and mental health professionals; veteran and homeless services; correctional mental health jail services, and court and probation services from Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.
 
The state’s cuts to law enforcement and community-based mental health services will have a direct impact on an agency’s ability to continue to provide an essential safety net of services to mentally ill inmates within the system and once they are released into the community.
 
“Without community assistance, these individuals will show up in our emergency rooms or wind up back in prison”, stated Susan Mandel, PhD, President and CEO of Pacific Clinics, the M.I.L.E.S. Conference host. “This is much more costly to taxpayers than providing comprehensive outpatient mental health services to help individuals with mental illness get back on track and stay out of jail,” she said.
 
Over the past 20 years, state spending on correctional systems has increased 350 percent from $10 billion to $35 billion.
 
Since 2000, an individual or program that has gone the “extra” mile in providing service to people with mental illness has been recognized at the conference. The recipient of the 2010 “Extra” M.I.L.E.S. Recognition award is Deputy Paul Archambault, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, C.O.P.S. Bureau. “We are pleased present this award to Deputy Archambault for his efforts in coordinating community homeless outreach events throughout the East San Gabriel Valley,” stated Dr. Mandel. The award will be presented at the October 28 conference.
 
M.I.L.E.S. (Mental Illness & Law Enforcement Systems) is a partnership of the San Gabriel Police Chiefs Association, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and Pacific Clinics. The M.I.L.E.S. partnership was formed to provide a safety net of services to vulnerable members of the community living with mental illness.
 
Pacific Clinics, a private non-profit behavioral healthcare agency, has been providing community-based mental health services to the Greater San Gabriel region since 1926.
 
For more information contact Lindy Russell, Pacific Clinics Public Affairs Department, at 626.254.5023.