JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Mental health professionals, law enforcement, city leaders, and top officials held a panel discussion to talk about the mental health, substance abuse, and crime in Hinds County.
“Often times we don’t treat drug addiction as a disease, we’ve come a long way in doing that especially in Hinds County,” said Judge Winston Kidd.
“They’re criminalized by society, they’re ostracized by their family because people think they have a choice,” said Psychiatrist, Dr. Marshall Belaga.
The panel agreed more community involvement is needed to resolve the growing drug and criminal activity.
“We have a lot of single mothers, young mothers, and a lot of our black fathers are incarcerated. Also, during COVID we saw a lack of mentoring programs,” said Councilman woman Angelique Lee.
“We need to gather in the community, unify in the community, giving them room at the table and voice their opinions. That’s when the creativity begins,” said Chief James Davis.
Members of the community joined the discussion voicing their proposed solution.
“We got to train these young people, we got to put work force development back in our community.”
“The panel was pretty reactive, it’s a reactive group, it’s full of the justice system, law enforcement but y’all are missing the educators. We are the ones that spend the most time with your children. We are the most impactful in their lives.”
The panel concluded with new programs coming to work with youth and the public to provide resources.
the organizers also plan to include educators on future panels