For years, this program kept men out of prison. Here's why the agency that runs it is giving it up

A program that aims to keep former inmates with mental illness out of jail is coming to an end after Christmas, but it's not because of a lack of provincial government funding. 

Catherina Kennedy, interim CEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association, says the association is winding down the justice program in an attempt to get back to its core mandate amid external funding challenges. 

"Its mandate has always been advocacy and education and we're the leaders in that, and we continue to demonstrate our strong commitment to make mental health services accessible," said Kennedy in a recent interview. 

"The challenge we're having, like many non-profits are having, is [that] the availability of funds is very, very difficult."

The program is finished as of Jan. 12.

During a 10th-anniversary celebration in 2019, the association touted the program's success. At the time, the program had supported 112 members — 67 per cent of whom have not reoffended or been reincarcerated.

The program provides services to inmates with mental illness at Her Majesty's Penitentiary, and case management and community support after release for up to 18 months. Case managers meet inmates at the gate of the penitentiary and begin work to find them stable employment, housing and food. The program arose from the 2008 Decades of Darkness report.

The news of the program's end comes on the heels of a report by the auditor general last week that said the provincial government is not doing enough to help offenders reintegrate into the community. The report stated the department did not formally plan for the release of offenders in custody and did not provide adequate rehabilitation for individuals once they were out of custody. The auditor general's findings were based on information gathered between 2017 and 2019. 

The provincial government says funding has not been cut for the justice program. In fact, a spokesperson from the department says it is looking for another organization that can take the program on, and thanked the association for its dedication to the program. 

Kennedy said the decision was made after a 12- to 14-week review of all programs in the organization.

"The justice program really has never fit into our original mandate. It is in deficit year over year and consequently the ability for us to deliver our programs of advocacy and education, we're not being able to do that at the level that we should be doing because we are supporting another program."

Kennedy said the justice program would be better suited for an organization that has a larger staff, more programming and better infrastructure. 

The 10 clients that are currently in the program will be transferred to another organization, she said. 

"The most critical thing I want to say, and I hope that people hear this, there is help," Kennedy said.

"There's all kinds of help for people who find themselves who mentally unwell, people who find themselves in crisis. And I hope that they will seek out that help if it's needed in our community."

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