Navigating mental health challenges in Pitkin County’s criminal justice system
More than half of the average daily population in Pitkin County’s jail has a serious mental health issue, according to a 2022 report by Justice Planners. The high incidence of mental health issues among incarcerated populations is no coincidence; the lack of support for people struggling with mental health often results in entanglement with the criminal justice system.
The criminal legal system and mental health are deeply intertwined and can be tied to the rise and fall in the use of mental asylums, according to Mental Health Colorado President and CEO Vincent Atchity.
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Mental Health Colorado is an advocacy organization. We do not provide crisis services, clinical care, or direct mental health support. The organization’s contact information is for non-crisis inquiries and is monitored during business hours only.