
Eric Eingold
Host: Youth Represent
Sponsor: ALM
Across Texas, people with mental illness are routinely institutionalized, isolated, and denied basic care. Staggering numbers of Texans in the criminal justice system suffer from mental illness. In 2013, more than 30% of people in state prisons and county jails suffered from some form of mental disability compared with less than 20% of the non-detained population. State officials habitually ignore the needs of mentally ill persons, disproportionately landing them in the criminal justice system—or, worse, the morgue. The Texas criminal justice system is the largest provider of mental health care services in the state, and the Harris County Jail tops the list. The criminal justice system, however, is currently unequipped to properly care for people with mental illness. Texans with mental illness are more likely to be victims of abuse, sexual assault, discrimination, or even death. Their injuries and deaths are preventable through reasonable mental healthcare accommodations.
In the past two years, Hannah has:
Now that the Fellowship is complete, Hannah plans to:
Host: Youth Represent
Sponsor: ALM
Host: Equal Justice Center
Sponsor: Anonymous
Host: Florida Institutional Legal Services, Inc.
Sponsor: Advocacy Center for Persons With Disabilities, Inc., The Florida Bar Foundation
Host: The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Sponsor: Anonymous