Greene County’s jail is set to become one of five in the state to offer mental health treatment to inmates who need to be restored to competency before standing trial, part of an attempt by the state to address the need for services quickly and efficiently.

When suspects arrive at jail and await trial, they may be ordered by the court to be evaluated for mental health competency. Those deemed to be incompetent to stand trial often are ordered to receive competency restoration treatment. Previously, the only option for this treatment was to go to a state hospital to receive inpatient mental health treatment. With a recent surge in people who were determined to need the services in order to proceed with their criminal cases, the limited number of available beds left many waiting in jail for months.

As of Sept. 28, there were 35 inmates at the Greene County Jail awaiting an inpatient bed to receive competency restoration services. Statewide, there were 253 individuals awaiting admission into state hospitals and 57 waiting to be added to that list as of Sept. 14. At the same time, there were 267 evaluations requested, with about 50% estimated to be found incompetent, according to a presentation to the state’s Mental Health Commission.

This summer, the Missouri legislature amended statute to allow mental health restoration services to be provided within county jails and out in the community. With the new law, the state allocated $2.5 million to establish jail-based restoration programs across five counties, including Greene.

Jeanette Simmons is the deputy director for the Missouri Division of Behavioral Health. She said the program was based on similar programs in other states that have faced the same problem.

“We have more individuals needing competency restoration services than we have inpatient hospital beds,” Simmons said. “This is not just a Missouri issue; this is a nationwide phenomenon.”

The program aims to solve this by easing the demand for inpatient beds while cutting down wait times for people to get treatment.

Sheriff’s office questions use of resources but state says moving ahead

Although state authorities said work to implement the program in Greene County is moving ahead, the sheriff’s office expressed doubts.

Deputy Paige Rippee, public information officer for the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and the jail, said that while many inmates have been waiting for treatment for several months, the program would not be the most efficient use of the jail’s resources.

Rippee said in order to create space for treatment, the jail would have to shut down one to two units. The inmates who would be housed there for treatment would not fill the units to full capacity, she said, which would mean the space is not used in the most cost-effective or efficient way.

“It is something we have looked into, but it’s just not in the cards for us,” she said of the jail-based model.

Debra Walker, spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, reiterated however that the state is still moving forward with implementing the program in Greene County and currently working out the details of the contract.

Ironing out the details

The program will operate using the state’s Forensic Mobile Teams, which include nurses, nurse practitioners and social workers. Two staff members from a local community mental health center also will be hired to work at the jail.

The two existing Forensic Mobile Teams were expanded with state funding in the most recent budget. One of these teams was established a couple of years ago. Currently, the teams are serving those needing restoration services in jails across the state regardless of county while they await inpatient treatment.

The jail-based program will also be implemented in Clay County, the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and Jackson County. Simmons said other counties have already requested to be included if the program expands, though currently the services are limited. She said the counties were selected based on the volume of referrals that come from each jail — no surprise considering that these are the most populated areas of the state.

While an option, the jail-based model will not become the default.

“We don’t anticipate that it will be the answer for every client, but I think individually we can look at it and make those types of assessments and ensure that people are receiving those treatment services while they’re there,” Simmons said. “That’s the intent they would receive the same types of treatment services they would receive in an inpatient setting.”

Stephanie Appleby, the executive director of NAMI Southwest Missouri, said she is grateful the department is putting time, energy and effort into providing more resources, which previously have been very limited.

“I think it’s fabulous and long overdue,” she said of the program. “I hope it works.”

Appleby said she hopes this program and any future efforts can establish a more continuous network of care providers. Creating a playbook on an individual’s care that both law enforcement agencies and mental health professionals can reference to determine best ways to support those needing care is a way to ensure a more sustainable approach to address mental health in the community, she said.

Other treatment options

Outpatient treatment will also be an option for some in need of competency restoration treatment. Simmons said this program would allow people to receive the needed services at their local community mental health centers. Providing this as an option would be a court decision for those demonstrating that they would be successful while free on bond, she said. Individuals held on dangerous felony charges are not eligible.

Rippee, with the sheriff’s office, said there are concerns about this model of service as well. In order for those out on bond to get to these services, they might have to rely on someone else for transportation, along with other potential obstacles.

“Homelessness often goes hand in hand with mental health issues,” she said.

Those who do not have the resources to actually get to their outpatient competency restoration treatment provider or keep on top of their medication may not fully benefit from the program, she said.

More: In the year since 988 went live, here’s what a Springfield mental health provider has seen

Appleby also has concerns about the outpatient portion of the effort. She said inpatient care is generally always a better option, since in order for patients to be successful in outpatient, they “have to really want to live a self-directed life.” Many who find themselves within the criminal justice system are not at that point in their recovery, she said.

But Simmons said the department hopes to work on more ways to connect individuals with treatment before they are within the criminal justice system. Increasing awareness and education of current resources like the 988 suicide and crisis hotline and local behavioral health programs is a large part of this.

“We’ve got to look at getting more upstream to try and help individuals engage in treatment services,” she said.

Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Contact her with tips and story ideas at mmieze@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri plans new mental health restoration program at county jails

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Sgt. Cameron Mims, far left, offers directions to his teammates with the 2nd Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, during a team building exercise at the Fill the Ruck 5K event at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Sept. 6.
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Donovan Shaw, with the Army Substance Abuse Program at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, checks in a service member and their squad during the Fill the Ruck 5K event Sept. 6.
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Service members with the 201st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade were joined by a four-legged squad member during the Fill the Ruck 5K event at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Sept. 6.
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Service members at Joint Base Lewis-McChord set off on their march carrying their 30-pound rucks and heavy rocks representing mental stress during a Fill the Ruck 5K event to highlight mental health awareness Sept. 6.
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JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Stress is an everyday occurrence for most people, especially active-duty service members. Whether it be family, work or financial stressors, finding a way to cope with the mental weight of stress and any additional duties can be hard for just about everyone. But very few people ever open up to others about the burdens they carry every day, and, in the worst-case scenario, that can have devastating consequences.

On Sept. 6, service members across Joint Base Lewis-McChord took a stand to put an end to the stigma surrounding mental health awareness and learned how to be there for each other during the Fill the Ruck 5K event at Shoreline Park on Lewis North.

“Fill the Ruck started with an idea of how to start the conversations about what leads to suicide,” said Jackie Salazar, the event’s organizer, and manager of the Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) at JBLM. “Suicide is a complex issue that can come from a combination of factors. We wanted to stress to service members the importance of seeking help from professionals and supportive individuals who can provide guidance and give them the resources available on and off the installation. We also wanted to stress the importance of communication and getting to know the person to the left and right of you and knowing their baseline.”

From that thought process, the Fill the Ruck event was born. Symbolizing the everyday stress that a person carries with them, squads of service members set off on a march just over 3 miles long from Shoreline Park to Russell Landing and back. Each squad member carried a 30-pound ruck bag on their backs – their baseline, or everyday stress – and, as a group, they carried two, large rocks meant to represent added stress.

“The rocks were meant to signify that we all have other stress than our normal baseline, and this is why we should ask for help when needed, or let people know when we are struggling with something,” Salazar said.

Along the march, the squads encountered three stations with activities requiring communication and teamwork to complete together as a group. The first was a twist on the game “telephone” and had each squad member relaying information from one to another with the goal of getting the information accurately transferred through the entire group. The second, required one squad member to put puzzles together while blindfolded, using only the guidance from his squad members.

The third and final station allowed teams to paint the rocks they had carried with them along the march. Each team member was required to add their own touch to the rocks about the power of positivity and resiliency. Salazar said this was by far the most popular part of the event.

“I had an overwhelming amount of Soldiers tell me that they really loved the painting of the rocks part the most, and that really touched me,” she said. “We intended for the squads to leave the rocks and a member of our ASAP team would deliver it to their command after the event, but we found that a good number of squads actually took their rocks with them. That makes us all feel really happy because to us, it feels like those rocks now mean something to them about what they did here today.”

Sergeant Cameron Mims, with the 2nd Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, said he was surprised at how interactive the event was, and that he was able to take away more than he expected.

“We had a lot of fun doing this, but it was also really useful,” Mims said. “I learned a lot today about communication and teamwork, and just overall how to be a better teammate.”

Immediately after teams returned from the ruck march portion of the event, Salazar said the groups are then ushered to other stations where they have the teams talk about situations regarding financial or relationship problems, and how they could work through those issues safely.

“Financial and relationships are the top two factors of suicide we have identified here at JBLM,” Salazar said.

More than 100 squads at JBLM were represented at the event, with about 1,800 total service members participating. Salazar said it was so well received by participants that she believes it could become an annual event.

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The stars today seem more accessible than ever. 

The increase in crewed missions to space, a revamped effort by NASA to send astronauts to the moon, even once-cumbersome technology needed to look at the stars has become pocket-sized and readily available. So much so, it’s not uncommon for the casual space fan’s internet scroll to be filled with magnificent images of the cosmos, ranging from photos of the Milky Way captured using a cellphone, to the unimaginable brilliance of the newest view from the James Webb Space Telescope.

It can all be a little overwhelming. But for all our increased ability to see the wonders of the night sky, trying to recreate that sensation in our own backyard can be a little underwhelming. For many, stepping out their door to see the stars on a clear night is met with a saturation of city lights that bleed away the array of stars hopeful observers are seeking.

Author of the new book “Stargazing: Contemplating the Cosmos to Find Inner Peace,” Swapna Krishna, writes a guide to getting just what you need from the night sky wherever you are, and offers a history and practice of stargazing that is grounded in the introspective and contemplative practice of meditation.

Related: Night sky, August 2023: What you can see tonight

Krishna doesn’t see city lights as a hinderance to connecting with the night sky, and believes that even the view of a single shining star is enough to help find your center and connect with the whole of humanity and universe around you. 

“I’m a huge fan of just going outside and looking at the stars even in a light polluted area,” Krishna told Space.com in an interview. “I lived in Washington, D.C., in the city, for 10 years, and one of my favorite things to do was walk out my front door and look at the sky.”

Krishna’s new book “Stargazing: Contemplate the Cosmos to Find Inner Peace” offers everything you need in a night sky how-to guide, but goes beyond just showing you how to find the constellations. Krishna’s readers can expect to gain a perspective of the stars rooted in an insightful, and perhaps unfamiliar past. 

Swapna Krisha

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Author

Swapna Krishna is a writer and journalist who covers space, technology and pop culture. Her work has been published at Engadget, The Verge, Polygon, StarTrek.com, StarWars.com, The A.V. Club, and more.

The pocket-sized guide provides a history of stargazing that is separate from our common Greco-Roman associations with the sky. It aims to strengthen our relationship to the cosmos by tying it with rituals and practices from cultures who knew the night sky more intimately than most people today ever could.

Related: Best stargazing apps: AR apps and virtual star maps to help you navigate the night sky

Stargazing: Contemplating the Cosmos to Find Inner Peace. (Image credit: Art by Kyutae Lee)

What sets Krishna’s book apart is its attention to stargazing history and its ability to breakdown complex astronomical concepts in a way that makes the content digestible for any age.

The history of stargazing written in Krishna’s book avoids the oft-repeated narrative of western civilization’s celestial observations, and focuses instead on how indigenous peoples across the world looked at the stars. “I wanted to make it clear from the beginning that, A, there’s not one way to look at the sky, and B, you can look at the sky differently than everybody else. It can be a very personal thing,” she said. 

“There are so many ways to look at [stargazing history], and so many cultures have different ways of looking at the exact same stars in the sky. I was hoping to give people that kind of perspective.”

The book highlights indigenous peoples across Earth, like the Lakota, in North America, who timed the planting of their crops on the positioning of the stars, or the Skidi Band of the Pawnee, who structured their societal hierarchy and rituals on constellations. They believed the stars shared a bond to the origins of humanity hundreds of years before Carl Sagan’s famous “we are made of star stuff” quote. And the Dogon people of Mali, in West Africa, whose millennia-old knowledge of the cosmos was so advanced, much of it was later confirmed after the emergence of modern astronomy. 

Krishna is Hindu, and says the stars play a crucial role in her religious and cultural practices, as does meditation. As the book helps you navigate your relationship and understanding of the stars, dispersed meditative sections serve as a guide for using the stars to navigate relationships with yourself and existence.

“There’s no being bad at meditation,” Krishna says. She meditates often, but specifies it’s not a daily practice. Krishna rejects the notion that mediation must be practiced within a certain set of rules, and encourages people to seek what is most meaningful and effective for them. “People feel like there are rules about meditation, and there aren’t. You do it when you feel like it, and you do it when you think you need it, or when you want to do it. If you don’t do it everyday. That’s okay.”

That being said, Krishna also admits sometimes feeling like she is, in fact, bad at meditation. “I feel like I am not an accomplished meditator in that I’m not good at quieting my mind,” she says, but stresses, “that’s absolutely okay … that’s part of what inspired the book.” 

Swapna Krishna author photo. (Image credit: Bonnie Raley)

“It’s okay to have these thoughts floating through your mind,” she says, and that’s why the book is about more than simply stargazing. “It’s about accepting who you are, and accepting your place in the world. And it’s okay if you’re still looking for that,” she says. In that journey, according to Krishna, the stars are an ideal place to start. 

Krishna says the duality of humility and a sense of powerfulness played a role in her inspiration for the book. “We are these tiny specks in this infinite cosmos, but also we are here. The fact that we are here, and how hard the universe worked to get us here is pretty cool to me.”

In addition to helping you find some inner peace, the book is also packed with helpful insights for actually viewing the stars. “Stargazing: Contemplate the Cosmos to Find Inner Peace” is meant to be mindful as much as it is informational. Readers will learn about the orbits of the planets and their motion in the night sky, phases of the moon and features of the lunar surface, how to spot the International Space Station (ISS), a compendium of all 88 constellations and more.

Including sections on things like the ISS was important to Krishna while writing the book. The space station is, she says, “a great symbol in our skies, international collaboration and cooperation at a time when we need it.”

“Human spaceflight is something that really captures my heart,” Krishna said, but she fears a growing ambivalence in people towards exploring the cosmos. “I just want to remind people that, ‘hey! We’re doing this cool thing! We’re out there! It’s cool!’ For decades, people have just lived in space,” she emphasizes, referencing the continual occupancy of the ISS since November, 2000. “That blows my mind,” Krishna said. “I think that’s easy to forget if you’re not as immersed in the space world.”

That is part of what Krishna hopes to accomplish with “Stargazing.” “I’m hoping to introduce mindfulness to space people, but I’m also hoping to introduce space to mindfulness people,” she said, adding, “even if this book is as far as they go, at least they’ll look at a star and wonder […] And if that’s it, I’ll feel like I was successful.”

As she writes in her book, “the point of stargazing […] is simply to look up at the night sky and reflect on the wonder of our world and the universe beyond. The rest will come, in time.”

“Stargazing: Contemplating the Cosmos to Find Inner Peace” is available August 8, and is available for pre-order now. 

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PRESS RELEASE

Published July 26, 2023

The market for mobile applications that offer guided meditation and mindfulness training to consumers is referred to as the mindfulness meditation app market. These applications often include features like as guided meditations, mindfulness exercises, and monitoring tools to assist users in tracking their progress. The popularity of mindfulness practises, growing stress levels, and the ease of having these tools on mobile devices have all contributed to the growth of the market for these applications in recent years. As more individuals become aware of the mental health advantages of mindfulness meditation and seek methods to incorporate it into their everyday lives, the market is likely to expand.

This study also considers classification, engagement, applications, and market trends, as well as the primary growth factors. Furthermore, this study focuses on developing trends while identifying obstacles and opportunities in the Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market. Our experts conduct in-depth analyses of CAGR and market size in order to provide a clear picture of the industry. This study uses 2022 as the base year, and the prediction period ranges from 2023 through 2032. This study covers recent advancements as well as the competitive environment, making it even more informative and valuable for keeping a competitive edge over others.

Key Segments Covered in Mindfulness Meditation Apps Industry Survey

• By Operating System :
  • Mindfulness Meditation Apps for iOS
  • Mindfulness Meditation Apps for Android
  • Mindfulness Meditation Apps for Other Operating Systems
• By Type :
  • Paid Mindfulness Meditation Apps
  • Free Mindfulness Meditation Apps

Essential Takeaways from the Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market Insights Report

• Comparison of prominent players operating in the Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market Insights.
• Recent developments and key strategies adopted by market players.
• Study of the micro and macro-economic growth indicators.
• Impact of the various factors on the value chain of the Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market Insights.
• Growth opportunities for emerging market players in various regional markets.
• Current trends influencing the scenario of the Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market Insights.

Key Companies Profiled

• Deep Relax
• Smiling Mind
• Inner Explorer Inc.
• Stop, Breathe & Think PBC
• The Mindfulness App
• Mindfulness Everywhere Ltd.
• Ten Percent Happier
• Breethe
• Insights Network Inc.
• Simple Habit Inc.
• Calm.com Inc.
• Meditation Moments B.V
• Headspace Inc.
• Others

Important queries related to the Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market Insights addressed in the report:

1. Who are the most prominent players in the Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market Insights?
2. What are the factors that are likely to hinder the growth of the Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market Insights during the forecast period (2021-2031)?
3. Why is the concentration of tier-1 companies high in specific region?
4. How are the soaring prices of raw materials impacting the demand for keyword?
5. Why are market players eyeing opportunities in particular region?

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This Press Release has been written with the intention of providing accurate market information which will enable our readers to make informed strategic investment decisions. If you notice any problem with this content, please feel free to reach us on [email protected]

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Xherald is passionate about offering extensive coverage of global business news. Dedicated to creating every participant’s notification, it reaches its own reader. Daily our experts offer fresh relevant information regarding what is actually occurring in Markets as well as Business. Our headlines are actually swiftly paced and extensive. Our distributor directory connects you with brand new products or services and its market situation from the most effective companies around the planet. Xherald is driven by its 500+ contributors coming from around the world. Xherald provides local as well as global market intelligence information coverage in sectors ranging from healthcare, IOT, chemicals and 17 more sectors. Our updates are quickly paced and detailed. The news we present is actually a mix of authentic content, community contributions and curated headlines announcements. All of the updates our company supplies must pass a strict criterion of genuineness, relevance and significance to our readers.

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Sophie Conlon

WITH the help of a former student, the children at Kalangadoo Primary School have been working together to brighten their school.

Artist Wendy Dixon-Whiley, a former Kalangadoo resident who attended the school in the 80s, said she visited the campus on a trip home recently and was inspired to bring a bit more life to the campus.

“I travelled here last Christmas and had a bit of a poke around the school when it was closed and I thought ‘It needs some sort of public art mural,’ so I picked up the phone and spoke to Allison,” she said.

Ms Dixon-Whiley said she had worked with all 18 students to bring the mural to life.

“The students have created their own individual Mindful Monsters, so they all have a little mindful statement talking about how they choose to do that,” she said.

“They are all really different, and without knowing the students all that well, it seems to reflect their personalities as well

“It’s always so great working with kids because they are always just so creative, society hasn’t pushed it out of them yet… it’s like an innate creativity that slips away when people get older.”

Governing Council chair Naomi Denniss-Holmes said it was great to see the students making a mark on their school.

“The kids got really really involved with it and I think they’ve been pleasantly surprised too with the level of involvement they have been able to have,” she said.

“They engage well with Wendy and her style of work.”

Year five student Charlotte said she would like to be an artist or a tattooist when she grows up and she had a great time creating her Mindful Monster.

“Mine has four of my personalities on it, my crazy side, my silly side, my happy side and my mischievous side, I call it the Four Headed Wonder,” she said.

When she was creating her Mindful Monster Charlotte said she was feeling her happy side.

“My happy side is a yellow bean shape looking thing with two big eyes and a big smile,” she said.

In the artwork the Four Headed Wonder is drawn saying ‘I like watching butterflies’ as Charlotte said that was one of her favourite mindful activities.

“I watch them flap their wings and fly around and land and suck the juice from the flowers,” she said.

The mural will be about 14 meters wide and two meters high, with each student’s Mindful Monster included in the work.

Ms Dixon-Whiley said she hoped the space could be a place where students could take a moment for themselves and practice mindful exercises.

Kalangadoo teacher Lauren Manser said including the students in the creation of the mural tied into the health curriculum and it was putting a different spin on their learning.

“We have a big focus on wellbeing at our school so we do work with the zones of regulation, and the Berry Street Model we follow… which is all about mindfulness, wellbeing, understanding your emotions and the tools you can use to keep yourself regulated and engage with the curriculum fully,” she said.

Ms Denniss-Holmes said it was great the small school could have this opportunity.

“Allison discussed it with the governing council and everyone got super excited about it, it just not something that we thought would happen for us,” she said.

“Small schools have less opportunities in general, and for someone from somewhere else to come and take and interest and engage with students and offer them something lasting that will come out of it that they can be involved in- I think is a big deal for them.”

She also said it was great to be adding a bit more colour to the school and everyone was looking forward to seeing it finished.

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