Bipolar Today

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If you are feeling suicidal, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) in the United States or visit this page from the International Association for Suicide Prevention to find one in your country.

Because of the death of Sylvie Claudette Latimer in Calgary in 2007, an inquiry has recommended that the RCMP be given access to confidential mental health records. Latimer committed suicide in prison in December 2007, despite having been noted as having been suicidal a month earlier. Just before being arrested, she had deliberately overdosed on pills and had told the EMS about an another, earlier suicide attempt. She had been noted as suicidal on her prisoner report, but this report somehow was not relayed to the detention center to which she was transferred. During her suicide on December 27th, she had been unaccounted for for 15 minutes, longer than should have occurred. The inquiry noted both failures, but also suggested that all police agencies should have access to the confidential mental health data bank of the Alberta Health Services “to be alerted to mental health problems, including suicidal tendencies.” More information about the case can be found here.

Commentary

Talk about killing a fly with a sledgehammer. Nothing in this case would require giving over the confidential records of mentally ill people to police, given that Latimer’s life could have been saved if they had simply followed the protocols already in place. Following these recommendations would have negative consequences for the mentally ill. First, it would seriously damage the ability of mentally ill to have confidential treatment, which would, as is well known, make the mentally ill less likely to seek treatment at all. Second, it would allow police to act on any prejudices they might have against the mentally ill in their investigations. Finally, it would give mental health information, which may be relevant to a person’s defense or sentencing, to the police and thereby the prosecutors before it is introduced by the defense. If there is to be a compromise, only a history of suicide attempts and suicidal tendencies should be available. This recommendation is a bad idea in both principle and practice and the recommendation should not be followed.

Related posts:

1. Chicago Police Develop New Protocols For Mental Illness
2. Toronto Police Ask For Access To Tasers
3. Issues in Rural Mental Health Care
4. Indian Police Official Sent to Mental Institution For Alleging Corruption
5. Iowa Mental Health Court Helps Keep Mentally Ill out of Prison