Improve care and treatment of pregnant prisoners
Recommendation
The Department of Justice (DOJ) should establish federal requirements for the trauma-informed care and treatment of pregnant prisoners or prisoners who are primary caretakers with mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD). Congress should provide whatever additional authority the Department needs to establish such requirements.[1][2]
Background/summary
Pregnant women who are incarcerated are more likely to have mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD) than the general population.[3] Unfortunately, these individuals do not consistently receive the care they need, including medication to treat SUDs.[4] In addition to SUD treatment, pregnant women who are incarcerated often need care for mental health conditions, such as postpartum depression or depression related to pregnancy.[2] Many incarcerated individuals are primary caretakers,[5] and incarcerated parents experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and increased stress due to the lack of contact and forced separation from their children.[6] Informed care for pregnant women and primary caregivers who are incarcerated, including adequate screenings and treatment for MH/SUD issues, should be a mandatory federal requirement.[1][2]
citations
1. Black Mama’s Matter Alliance. “Black Mama’s Matter: In Policy and Practice. A Polity Agenda for the Black Maternal Health, Rights, and Justice Movement.” Last Updated April 2023.
2. Pregnant Women in Custody Act. H.R.982 (Kamlager-Dove), 118th Congress (2023-2024). Last Accessed July 24, 2023.
3. Mary Peeler, Fiscella, Kevin, Terplan, Mishka, and Sufrin, Carolyn. 2019. “Best Practices for Pregnant Incarcerated Women With Opioid Use Disorder.” Journal for Correctional Health Care 25(1). Last Updated January 7, 2019.
4. Ahlbach, Chris, Carolyn Sufrin, and Rebecca Shlafer. 2020. “Care for Incarcerated Pregnant People With Opioid Use Disorder: Equity and Justice Implications.” Obstetrics and Gynecology 136(3). Last Updated September 1, 2020.
5. Prison Policy Initiative. “Prisons and Jails Will Separate Millions of Mothers from Their Children in 2022.” Last Updated May 4, 2022.
6. Dargis, Monika and Arielle Mitchell-Somoza. 2021. “Challenges Associated with Parenting While Incarcerated: A Review.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18(18). Last Updated September 21, 2021.