“You Have to Take Care of Your Own Mental Status”: Incarcerated Women Seeking Care

Within and Beyond Mental Health Treatment

A recent journal publication by a University of Chicago's Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice research team, comprised of authors Gina L. Fedock, Sheila Shankar, Celina Doria, and Marion Malcome from Loyola University Chicago, investigates the experiences of incarcerated women seeking mental health care within and beyond prison treatment. The study focuses on the critical issue of mental health care for incarcerated women, exploring how they exercise agency in a controlled environment. This topic is significant due to the high rates of mental health issues among incarcerated women and the often inadequate treatment provided in prisons. Previous research highlights the need to address the structural and systemic challenges these women face.The study used life history calendars to capture detailed accounts of the women's mental health treatment experiences. It revealed that incarcerated women often experience dehumanizing treatment dynamics, including limited communication and harmful medication practices. Women reported feeling silenced and controlled, with their mental health needs often neglected. Despite these challenges, many women developed self-preservation strategies, such as refusing treatment, making dynamic decisions about their care, and forming supportive relationships with other inmates. The research concludes that prison-based mental health treatment often constitutes health harm rather than care. The findings highlight the need for policies and practices that prioritize the mental health and well-being of incarcerated women, respecting their agency and self-knowledge. The study calls for further feminist theorizing and practice directions that align with the varied definitions of care provided by these women.

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Deportation Threat and Infant Birthweight:

The Role of Place and Immigrant Mothers’ Legal Status

A study from the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, with contributions from researchers Angela Garcia and Youngjin Stephanie Hong, in collaboration with Marci Ybarra from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, examines the impact of deportation threats on infant birth weight. This topic is significant because heightened maternal stress linked to deportation threats can adversely affect infant health. The researchers analyzed data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) spanning 2003-2012. This data was merged with information on the implementation of federal immigration enforcement programs, 287(g) and Secure Communities (SC), and deportation data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC). The study found that exposure to deportation threats during the third trimester significantly lowered infant birthweight among babies born to undocumented women. The negative effects were most pronounced for this group compared to others with less vulnerable legal statuses. High enforcement intensity of the SC program was associated with the largest reductions in birth weight. The results underscore the severe impact of interior immigration enforcement on the health of infants born to undocumented mothers. The research concludes that deportation threats and related enforcement practices negatively impact infant birth weight, particularly for undocumented women. The study highlights the need for policies that mitigate these stressors to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Future research should continue to explore the nuances of how immigration policies affect public health. For further research, readers are encouraged to consult related articles on immigration enforcement and maternal stress, available through academic journals and public health databases.

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Registrations to attend FREE Davis Lectures in-person or virtually will open later this summer.

October 1, 2024 @ 12:30pm CDT

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Peter Treitler, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Boston University

October 22, 2024 @ 12:30pm CDT

Jamie Daw, PhD

Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

October 29, 2024 @ 12:30pm CDT

Mary Bunn, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry;

Co-Director, Global Mental Health Research and Training Program, Center for Global Health,

University of Illinois Chicago

November 5, 2024 @ 12:30pm CDT

Meenakshi Subbaraman, PhD

Program Director and Biostatistician, Public Health Institute; Instructor, UC Berkeley School of Public Health

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Announcements

2024 CHAS Seed Grants Awarded

CHAS is pleased to announce the following UChicago faculty as recipients of 2024 CHAS Seed Grants. Faculty projects will be added to the CHAS website soon.

Emma Brett, PhD, MS

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience

UChicago Medicine and Biological Sciences Division

Aresha Martinez-Cardoso, PhD, MS

Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences

Biological Sciences Division

Marcia Tan, PhD, MPH

Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences

Biological Sciences Division

Margaret Thomas, PhD, MSW

Associate Professor, Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice

Congratulations to the funded faculty researchers!