Mentally ill Ohio inmates refuse post-prison help

COLUMBUS (AP) — State records show more mentally ill Ohio inmates are refusing help making the transition from prison.

The increase comes even as prisoner advocates are suing Ohio to force the state to do more for mentally ill offenders leaving prison.

A review of state mental health records by The Associated Press found nearly one in four mentally ill inmates last year either declined post-release services or never showed up to a pre-release appointment to talk about the services.

That’s up from fewer than one in five in previous years.

Debbie Nixon-Hughes, program and policy deputy director at the Ohio Department of Mental Health, says the state works hard to provide continuity between prison and the public mental health system.