Sozosei Foundation

01/28/2025

Medicaid helps ensure access to mental health care for thousands of people in the US, and Medicaid cuts could mean big barriers to care, further fueling criminalization of mental illness. There is much to learn, and we are honored to support Tradeoffs as they break it down.

Many Republicans have singled out Medicaid as a policy that could see big changes under the new administration and Congress. We take a closer look at why many conservatives think less Medicaid will mean better Medicaid.

01/28/2025

Grateful to our colleagues at the Peg's Foundation for hosting us and members of Clear Pathways Ohio and RAG: Returning Artists Guild to discuss the role of narrative change and the decriminalization of mental illness.

01/22/2025

Insurers are using patients' improvement to deny mental health coverage, leading to backslides in recovery and resurfacing of symptoms. This article from ProPublica examines how these denials result in negative outcomes like self-harm and criminalization.
https://propublica.org/article/mental-health-insurance-denials-patient-progress =ZjllYTAzNjYtMDU4OS00Nzc4LTgyNzQtYzI5MjFiMmE3ZDM4~

01/20/2025

SAMHSA's Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee’s 2024 report to Congress highlights the need for increased diversion and improved care for people with mental illness in the criminal legal system. This recommendation aligns with the mission of Miami Center For Mental Health & Recovery who along with Thomas Simpatico and grantee partner Justice Innovation Lab are working to build data-informed, people centered solutions to decriminalize mental illness.

01/17/2025

Kansas City’s new Wellness Court offers a compassionate approach to supporting individuals with mental illness and addiction and allows for expanded use of funds from SAMHSA. How can other cities ensure access to justice and care by addressing co-occurring challenges at their roots? Read more in this Missouri Independent article: https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/02/kansas-citys-new-wellness-court-to-help-those-with-mental-health-disorders-addiction/

01/15/2025

We are holding all people, including those with mental illness who are incarcerated, in Los Angeles in our hearts as wildfires continue to rage across the region. Read more in The Appeal about how jails and prisons are preparing for air quality issues, possible evacuations and power outages: https://theappeal.org/los-angeles-wildfires-fires-threaten-prisons-jails/

01/14/2025

December’s Diagnosis: Injustice newsletter from grantee partner MindSite News covers the trauma faced by children affected by gun violence in New Orleans, an alternative crisis response program in Chicago and an interview with Dominique Wallace, whose husband was shot and killed by police during a mental health emergency in 2020.

01/09/2025

Mobile crisis units are part of Virginia’s ever-expanding landscape of mental health resources. How can other states ensure access to care by meeting people with mental illness where they are? Read more in this The Virginia Mercury article: https://virginiamercury.com/2024/12/13/meet-people-where-they-are-special-teams-aid-va-s-efforts-to-expand-mental-health-care-services/

12/30/2024

A recent Gallup poll highlights broad bipartisan support for improving access to mental healthcare. What will it take for mental and physical health to be equally covered by insurance? Share your thoughts below. https://news.gallup.com/poll/652079/bipartisan-support-improving-mental-healthcare-access.aspx

12/26/2024

A new study shows how virtual reality can better prepare police officers to de-escalate mental health crises. Officers engaged in simulations with characters portraying symptoms of schizophrenic psychosis. More than half reported learning new techniques, and many reported enhanced empathy. An empathetic approach values proactive care over reactive punishment and is a key to decriminalizing mental illness. https://thedebrief.org/virtual-reality-could-revolutionize-police-training-for-encounters-that-lead-to-mental-health-crises-heres-how/

12/23/2024

American Psychological Association's latest annual provider survey highlights that a significant number of psychologists do not accept health insurance, with insufficient reimbursement rates cited as a top barrier to participating in insurance plans. This is a substantial barrier for individuals seeking mental health care. Access to care is a key to decriminalizing mental illness. Read the full report here:https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/practitioner/2024/practitioner-pulse-2024-full-report.pdf

12/20/2024

A new joint report from Prison Policy Initiative and Jail Data Initiative reiterates the importance of housing— more than 40% of unhoused people booked into jail were booked again within the year. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2024/11/27/jail_bookings/