Mental Illness and Incarceration

Does the congregation where you worship have any approach to supporting those who are mentally ill? Many congregations have some form of prison ministry. We all know that Jesus called His followers to be involved with prisoners (Matthew 25:36), but mental illness affects many of those in prison.

Two million times a year, a person with serious mental health problems is booked into jail. Two out of every five incarcerated individuals have a history of mental illness, and 63% of those do not receive mental health treatment while in state or federal prisons. Suicide is the leading cause of death for people held in local jails, and recidivism is high among those with mental health issues. The National Alliance on Mental Illness says that providing mental health care is likely to reduce recidivism.

Many congregations try to deny that a problem exists, and others simply avoid the subject. Very few congregations dedicate any part of their financial resources to meeting the needs of individuals with mental illness. This problem is only going to get worse as Americans turn away from God and rely on institutions to do the work of the Church.

Caring about people is what Christ called us to do, and that is especially true of those within the Church. Our prayers must be followed by actions that show Christ’s love.

— John N. Clayton © 2026

Reference: NAMI Voice, published by the National Alliance on Mental Illness