CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Atrium Health is seeking solutions to help people who aren't capable of standing trial due to a mental health issue or disability. The new pilot program would reduce overcrowding in hospitals and jails. Instead of patients spending unnecessary months waiting in jail or the hospital, they enter an outpatient program with high level of services.
Experts say it will help health outcomes.
Mental health impacts everyone, and while some have access to care, not everyone does, like inmates who face mental health issues and can't stand trial. Oftentimes, they wait months in custody for the treatment they need.
“Although there are many individuals working hard within the correctional system to provide mental health care, we still don’t really have the capacity within corrections to provide mental health care and of course, the prison and jail itself can be quite traumatizing and worsens mental health," Dr. Sherif Soliman, the Medical Director of the Community Capacity Restoration Program for Atrium Health, said.
Now, a new pilot program with Atrium Health offers another solution. The Community Capacity Restoration Program creates an option for people to get help out of jail who don't meet the criteria for full-time hospitalization.
“Our program serves patients with misdemeanors and some lower-level felonies, where they’ve been granted bond and they’ve been deemed safe to the community," Dr. Soliman said.
Dr. Soliman said the community-based program helps patients get the help they need in two main ways, psychiatric treatment and education about the legal system.
“Many times, acute mental health disorders such as acute psychosis, which is a part of schizophrenia or mood disorders like bipolar disorder, can interfere with someone’s ability to understand the proceedings or communicate rationally with their attorney," Dr. Soliman said.
The goal is to decriminalize mental illness, alleviate overcrowding in jails and hospitals, and create a thriving community.
“Our hope is to build a lasting community engagement and hopefully achieve longer-term wellness well beyond when their legal case is resolved," Dr. Soliman said.
The program started over the summer and has a cap of 20 patients. There's hope it will become a permanent resource to treat mental health.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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