<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2117852/open_sms">Send us a text</a></p><p>Dr. Jhilam Biswas, a board-certified adult and forensic psychiatrist, discusses how mental health issues intersect with the criminal justice system and the urgent need for reform. </p><p>She shares insights from her research and clinical experience working with incarcerated individuals with mental illness, explaining why mental health care in America's prisons is a humanitarian crisis.<br><br>• Director of Psychiatry Law and Society program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and co-director of Harvard Mass General Brigham Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship<br>• Research shows delays in psychiatric treatment lead to increased violence and worse outcomes in forensic settings<br>• Individuals with autism have higher comorbidity with serious mental illness and are more vulnerable in law enforcement interactions<br>• Mental illness evaluation processes vary based on setting, with court-ordered evaluations having strict timelines<br>• Three main pathways to incarceration: substance use disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and untreated mental illness<br>• America's largest jails have become de facto psychiatric hospitals, which Dr. Biswas calls "a human rights violation"<br>• Currently championing two legislative reforms in Massachusetts: the Timely Treatment Bill and Critical Community Services Bill<br>• Mental illness is treatable but often cyclical, requiring consistent medication and support<br>• When people suffer from psychotic disorders, they often lose insight into their condition, making treatment refusal a symptom rather than a choice<br><br>Tell everyone everywhere about Why Not Me, The World, the conversations we're having and the inspiration our guests give to everyone everywhere that you are not alone in this world.<br><br><br></p><p>https://tonymantor.com<br>https://Facebook.com/tonymantor<br>https://instagram.com/tonymantor<br>https://twitter.com/tonymantor<br>https://youtube.com/tonymantormusic<br>intro/outro music bed written by T. Wild<br>Why Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI)</p>