By Bryant Arroyo
From PHN Issue 55, Winter 2024
America! America!
Land of the free, a society filled with justice and equality.
This is a clear example of hypocrisy,
unless they forgot to include me,
and millions of others kept in captivity.
Confined behind tall walls and razor wires,
with the nation of prisoners constantly rising higher.
Countless amounts will never be released,
except in a body bag once deceased.
By T King
Coeffield Unit, Texas
April 2021
First, let me say Thank you so much, you guys are Awesome for what you do for us locked away.
I’m writing to get your take on an issue that happens more than it is talked about.
My name is T. King & I’m a lifer on the Coffield unit in Texas. The largest & one of the oldest joints in the Lone Star State. Being a maximum-security unit, movement is restricted, understandably, so you’re either locked in your cell or the day room & now during COVID-19 it’s 2 hours instead of 1 hour at a time. Sometimes you can get stuck in there 3-5 hours depending on if the count clears in time.
Continue reading “It Happens More Than It’s Talked About”By Russell Auguillard
From PHN Issue 54, Fall 2023
Living with a mental illness often requires a person to create a schedule of activities, groups and therapy. Where you are, you can start now, with groups, therapy and approved programs that are operating through your prison or facilities. One common mental illness a person can be affected by and go through, but not even know that they have it, is antisocial personality disorder. One place they find themselves without even being conscious of it is in the prison system as first, second, or multiple-time offenders. You can do something about it starting today, by first beginning to manage your thoughts, then your life.
Continue reading “Living with a Mental Illness”By Lori McLuckie
From PHN Issue 54, Fall 2023
Dear Prison Health News,
Thank you very much for your letter in response to my inquiry about breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
Since I wrote that letter to you, a minor miracle has occurred: The Colorado Department of Corrections has made the decision to provide coverage for my reconstruction process. This decision was made in April 2022. Since then, I have had a consultation with the plastic surgeon, I’ve had the first surgery to install the expanders (the surgery occurred on Sept. 12, 2022), and I’ve begun the expansion process.
Continue reading “Breast Reconstruction Victory”By Shawn Harris
From PHN Issue 53, Summer 2023
“There is a list of 132 inmates diagnosed with cancer,” announced the psychologist assigned to my block. She was sitting in front of her computer as the Psychology Department head and I discussed the commencement of the first-ever Cancer Support Group at my prison. I had for the past year been stressing the importance of having a cancer support group at my facility. We were having a meeting to finalize the date and time when the group would start. We weren’t certain if there were even enough inmates diagnosed in the prison to warrant a support group. In fact, the Psychology Department head specifically asked me how many inmates I knew were currently battling the illness. He even struggled to recall one or two he remembered working with in recent days. So, when the psychologist said the number, we were all stunned.
Continue reading “Incarcerated by Cancer”By Wayne Thomas
From PHN Issue 52, Spring 2023
There is an increasing restriction of constitutional rights and other safeguards on people with mental illness in prison. The punishment of individuals with psychiatric problems in prisons might affect the perception of people impacted by mass incarceration.
We are troubled by the punishing of people who suffer from mental and emotional disorders, who are often forced to take antipsychotic drugs during the trial or pretrial setting. There are a large number of instances in prisons and courthouses when a person with mental illness is forced to take medications against their will. The person is incapacitated by being put in a medication-induced stupor and then removed to a courtroom where they are sentenced to a term of incarceration. This is a process that maintains physical control over the mentally ill persons, forced by law to subject themselves to take antipsychotic medications when released. Often they are threatened with the possibility of return to confinement—to ensure medication adherence for formerly incarcerated people who are categorized as mentally ill.
Continue reading “Prisoners Surviving Mental Illness”By Hannah Calvelli and Dan Lockwood
From PHN Issue 52, Spring 2023
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) is a term used by addiction and medical professionals when referring to the three medications (buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone) that are approved by the FDA for the treatment of opioid use disorder. You may have heard of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), which is a similar term that refers to the use of FDA approved medications for both alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder. The difference between MOUD and MAT is that MAT is part of a larger treatment and recovery plan that includes counseling and behavioral therapy, whereas MOUD is treatment with medications only.
Continue reading “Medications for OPIOID USE DISORDER”By M. Ali
From PHN Issue 52, Spring 2023
COVID-19 is an illness caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. It spreads when a person with the virus (symptomatic or asymptomatic) releases droplets and particles from their mouth or nose. This can occur when they breathe, cough, or sneeze in close contact with another person. It can also occur in poorly ventilated or crowded indoor settings, such as correctional and detention facilities. The best way to prevent COVID19 infection and reinfection is to practice basic hygiene like washing your hands with soap and water, wear a well-fitting mask, stay up to date with vaccines, and avoid contact with individuals who may have the virus. While the use of masks to prevent the spread of this virus has been politicized and debated, randomized controlled trials have found that community-level mask wearing does reduce COVID-19 infections and may be an especially effective resource in crowded facilities.
Continue reading “What to Know About COVID-19 Tests”By Anonymous
From PHN Issue 51, Winter 2023
It has been more than a year since the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections vaccinated its inmate population. Mask mandates have been lifted. The unvaccinated have been allowed off quarantine and spread throughout general population. And yet here we are, another year gone, and the pandemic restrictions limiting activity and quality of life within the prisons remain. The PA DOC has successfully used a deadly pandemic as a smoke screen to institute many of the wide-ranging and destructive restrictions it’s wanted all along.
Continue reading “An Open Letter to the INCARCERATED OF PENNSYLVANIA”By Chrystal Pfeifer
From PHN Issue 51, Winter 2023
My name is Chrystal and I have been on the inside since 1988. … Yes, 33 years! I have always, always been aware of the fact that we must take care of ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. I was 24 when I entered and am now 56. I could write a book.
Continue reading “Surviving Breast Cancer”
Prison Health News 