OTTAWA — The federal prison ombudsman, Ivan Zinger, has raised serious concerns regarding the mental health care policies within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). In his latest annual report, Zinger emphasizes that weak policies, inadequate training, and a lack of specialized treatment options are significantly undermining the CSC's ability to provide adequate mental health care for incarcerated individuals. He states it is "abundantly clear" that the prison system is ill-equipped to address the needs of individuals facing acute psychiatric distress, suicidal ideation, or chronic self-injury.
The report highlights the necessity of transferring inmates with severe mental health issues to external, secure, community-based psychiatric hospitals. Zinger points out that the CSC regularly facilitates transfers for inmates requiring complex physical treatments, such as chemotherapy or heart surgery, asserting that it would be unthinkable to undertake such medical procedures in-house. However, he criticizes the CSC for holding on to the "misguided belief" that it can provide specialized psychiatric care internally.
As Zinger prepares for his retirement at the end of January, he is set to discuss the findings of the report at an Ottawa news conference. The report is based on extensive research, including six national investigations of CSC's mental health services. These investigations included 425 interviews with individuals in custody and on community release, as well as site visits and consultations with institutional staff, community stakeholders, Indigenous organizations, and provincial correctional authorities.
One of the chief findings outlines that existing national policies are vague, outdated, or nonexistent, resulting in inconsistent and ineffective mental health services. The report highlights that insufficient training for CSC staff on effectively working with those who have mental health issues has led to poor-quality care in the correctional environment.
Moreover, the report indicates that an absence of effective screening and assessment protocols has created a "domino effect" where many individuals who need enhanced mental health services go unrecognized and thus remain without access to necessary care. The lack of specialized programming, treatment, or skill development opportunities hampers the successful reintegration of offenders into the community.
Investigations also focused on the five Regional Treatment Centres of the CSC, which are characterized as hybrid facilities that operate under both federal penitentiary and provincial health regulations. Zinger characterizes these centers as primarily serving intermediate and geriatric care with limited capability to address acute psychiatric emergencies. He proposes that these centers should be reclassified and acknowledges that transferring individuals with acute mental health needs to specialized, external facilities capable of meeting those needs is essential.
Continuing to house individuals with severe psychiatric issues in treatment centers operated by the CSC is labeled as ineffective and a violation of human rights, according to the report. Zinger criticizes a federal announcement regarding a $1.3 billion replacement facility for the Atlantic region, calling it a misappropriation of resources. Rather than investing in another in-house facility, Zinger suggests that the government should collaborate with provincial health systems to enhance access to secure psychiatric beds in the community.
The response from the Correctional Service included in Zinger's report rejects his recommendations. The CSC argues that it has a health system designed to match services to the level of need and states that its health services, including the Regional Treatment Centres, are accredited by Accreditation Canada. Additionally, the CSC mentions its partnership with the Institut Philippe-Pinel de Montréal for inpatient psychiatric care and acknowledges ongoing dialogues with provincial psychiatric hospitals to bolster existing capacity.
Furthermore, the CSC commits to conducting a comprehensive review of its Regional Treatment Centres, aiming to standardize service provision. The review will seek to ensure that services are aligned with the needs of inmates, offering a balanced mix of psychiatric hospital care, intermediate mental health care, and short-term medical services.
In conclusion, the planned new facility in Dorchester, N.B., is described by the CSC as a "modern, bilingual, purpose-built health care facility" intended to support the prison service in refining its patient-centered health care model.
