If someone going through a court case has shared that they’re struggling with their mental health, the court may add a Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) to their community sentence. An MHTR would become part of the community sentence if the person is over the age of 18 years, mental health issues have been identified as contributing towards the offending, the person agrees to the treatment and the Judge or Magistrate includes the treatment within the community order.
The Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) is a service commissioned by NHS England that provides screening and assessment pre-sentence followed by treatment and interventions for those who have been sentenced to an MHTR. By early 2024, all criminal courts across England will have access to this service, which provides sentencers the ability to sentence to robust and effective mental health interventions, which may be combined with drug/alcohol requirements thereby addressing and supporting people who present with dual diagnosis.
During the Covid lockdown, Caroline was remanded in custody for six months before she was released from custody and sentenced to an MHTR within a Community Order. This blog describes Caroline’s experience of receiving the MHTR and the difference it has made to her positively rebuilding her life.
“Never Give Up” By Caroline
Growing up, I suffered from traumatic events that left me mentally unwell for most of my childhood and adulthood. Because of my mental health, I turned to alcohol to help me cope, and this is where my experience of the criminal justice system began.
For years I was living with so much anxiety, fear, and shame that it affected my entire life. I just didn’t know how to interact with others and as a result, I found it hard to form and maintain positive relationships. Alcohol helped me to escape my feelings and thoughts and gave me the courage to interact with others. However, self-medicating with alcohol turned me into something I wasn’t – a very angry, upset person. Because of this, I made poor decisions, often leading me into getting in trouble with the police.
I was just going round and round in circles, cycling in and out of the criminal justice system whilst my mental health needs were going unmet until, in the end, I lost everything I had. This included my children, my home, jobs, and relationships. I eventually became street homeless and was often trying to get arrested as being in a cell felt safer than sleeping in hedges or car parks.
Eventually, I ended up in prison for 6 months on remand and I was at my lowest. I was on my knees and I just felt like a lost empty shell. Whilst in prison, I waited 5 months to speak to a mental health worker. It was recognised that my mental health needs were the driving force behind the crimes I was committing. They saw that I needed support – both to recover from trauma as well as to help me stop committing crimes. I was offered the option of receiving an MHTR as part of a community sentence. The MHTR required me to undertake twelve treatment sessions. I was hopeful, as nothing else was working for me at the time.
However, upon leaving prison I was homeless and I had to wait a month for my MHTR to start. During this time, it really did feel like I was back at square one again. When I eventually started treatment, I found it difficult to open up and was very anxious and fearful. However, throughout treatment, I started to grow in confidence and became less anxious. This enabled me to start dealing with things I would otherwise have avoided with alcohol.
It took time and with small steps, the MHTR has helped me to think and behave in different ways. I can now live a more positive life where I am free from alcohol. Because of this, I am more capable of challenging my negative thoughts and feelings, facing my fears, and making better decisions. I now have a home, and I’m slowly rebuilding positive family relationships. I am also rebuilding my life by working with the Lived Experience Team at Revolving Doors, helping and supporting others within the criminal justice system.
So, if my story sounds familiar to you, then please know there are opportunities to receive extra support for your mental health. I know it is easy to get discouraged, but my experience shows that we can all make positive changes in our lives – it’s never too late.