Broken Behind and Beyond the Bars to Advocacy and Activism: The Narrative of Two Formerly Incarcerated Women

Broken Behind and Beyond the Bars to Advocacy and Activism: The Narrative of Two Formerly Incarcerated Women

Description

Oftentimes, researchers conduct studies with the formerly incarcerated people without speaking with them prior to the research. The voice of those directly impacted is essential when working with those who are. It is important to discuss the various considerations when working with this population. Issues such as challenges in Reentry, mental health issues, and substance use, along with the different issues and obstacles which may arise due to gender differences. Reentry is a challenging time for many who are returning home, especially women.

Concerns related to employment, housing, access to resources, and family dynamics. The purpose is to provide education and insight into the Reentry process for women. And with the number of women becoming incarcerated on the rise, this symposium will open the discussion with three directly impacted women. The forum will discuss the barriers to resources and support that exist to a growing population who is going into the prison system only to return home impacts the field of social work. From both a professional and personal perspective, the speakers desire to dispel the myth of mental health services existing behind bars and the lack of supportive services beyond the bars. Also, understanding and acknowledging the inability to accessing services once formerly incarcerated women returning home will be discussed.

Through narrative dialogue, recommendations on how to openly and effectively address mental health for formerly incarcerated individuals will be examined. The key target populations are professionals working in the criminal justice and advocacy field, who desire to implement change within the social work arena. This information can assist in research and policy as it relates to the current national discussion on criminal justice, local, state and nationwide. The participants will be able to openly discuss their experience in working with formerly incarcerated individuals and assist in assessing and identifying supportive resources to help formerly incarcerated women successfully reintegrate into society without the negative stigmas.

Learning objectives

1. To work at dispelling the myth of mental health services that exist behind and beyond bars/lack of supportive services beyond the bars for women.
2. Discuss the lack or limited mental health resources while incarcerated at a Federal female level.
3. Describe the concurrent mental health services being offered through the FBOP (RDAP, Trauma, Med Management, etc.). Barriers to assessing services once formerly incarcerated women return home. Give us a quote you only say, so we can make a quote graphic to promote you as a presenter.