The development and future of deaf forensic mental health services

Abstract

Purpose -This paper aims to review the need for and development of specialist deaf secure mental health services.Design/methodology/approach -The paper is a review article; it begins by giving a brief overview of deafness and the relationship between deafness, mental health problems and offending. Following this, relevant literature and Department of Health (DoH) guidance is summarised and a description of the current UK services is given.Findings -In 2001, Young et al. highlighted the needs of deaf mentally disordered offenders and the requirement for specialist forensic mental health services for this group. Since then several DoH guidance documents have been published that, amongst other things, highlighted the need to develop deaf forensic mental health services. There have now been substantial service developments in this area but substantial gaps remain -most notably, a lack of specialist mental health provision for deaf prisoners.Originality/value -The paper offers insights into the development and future of deaf forensic mental health services.

Psychosis and Deafness in Forensic Settings: How Are Hallucinations and Delusions Shaped by Experiences of Being Deaf

“…Firstly, research comparing the care provision for hearing and Deaf psychiatric inpatients with regards to the type of interventions provided have been highlighted as a valuable area of investigation. Unless in a specialised service, deaf inpatients or prisoners may often have difficulty accessing group treatment or targeted interventions, thus failing to fulfil conditions that may be linked to their release or security classification (see Gibbon & Doyle, 2011).In addition, even though all participants in the current study were in specialist Deaf secure psychiatric services, it appeared that difficulties remained with regards to their ability and access to engage in treatment. The focus should be less on comparability of the type of intervention received but whether both groups have the same opportunities to receive the interventions recommended for their difficulties and needs.…”

“…According to the medical model of deafness, being have been found to be unable to meet the needs of d/Deaf persons due to limited knowledge of Deaf culture, insufficient and inconsistent provision of interpreters, the inherent social isolation related to limited or no persons to communicate with, and neglect (Gahir, O'Rourke, Monteiro, & Reed, 2011;Kelly, 2018;McCulloch, 2010;Young, Monteiro, & Ridgeway, 2000). Unless in a specialised Deaf service, inpatients or prisoners who are deaf may often have difficulty accessing group treatment or targeted interventions, thus failing to fulfil conditions that may be linked to their release or security classification (see Gibbon & Doyle, 2011;Kelly, 2018). Furthermore, the difficulties encountered by d/Deaf persons in the forensic system may contribute to the development of mental health difficulties (Kelly, 2018;Young et al, 2000).…”