The Québec Ombudsman is also Québec’s correctional ombudsman. Every year, it receives thousands of complaints from inmates, who are often dissatisfied with the health and social services they receive.
A special report
Following an exhaustive investigation, the Québec Ombudsman recently released a special report entitled Toward Services that are Better Adjusted to Detainees with Mental Disorders. The report highlights, among other things, the importance of enhanced police training in dealing with people with a mental illness. It also recommends transferring responsibility for the delivery of health and social services to detainees with a mental health problem from the Ministère de la Sécurité publique to the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux so as to better meet the complex needs of this client group.
And what awaits mentally fragile inmates upon their release? Because these people are often at a higher risk of reoffending, the Québec Ombudsman insists that they be monitored by resources in the community and that these resources work together. Objective: Make sure the person does not commit another offence and wind up back in prison. Revolving doors… The expression may be poetic, but for the inmate and his or her loved ones, life is anything but.
The special report is available on the Québec Ombudsman’s website
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Our mission
The Québec Ombudsman investigates complaints and reports from individuals, groups, organizations or enterprises about a Québec government department or agency, or an institution in the health and social services network.
- www.protecteurducitoyen.qc.ca
- protecteur@protecteurducitoyen.qc.ca
- Phone: 1-800-463-5070