Protestors demand more mental health, addictions support at HMP

Around 20 protesters, including family members of inmates and advocates, rallied outside of Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's on Wednesday, calling for better access to health care, mental health care and rehabilitation. 

Critics and advocates have called for a replacement for the aging prison for years.

Beverly Murphy attended Wednesday's rally to advocate for her 32-year-old son Mitchell Murphy, who has been incarcerated since September. 

Murphy says her son has been in isolation inside the facility, which made his mental health much worse. She said her son sounds confused, incoherent and begs her for help over the phone. 

"He doesn't understand what's real," said Murphy. "I'm concerned for his health." 

Murphy says she has tried contacting officials — including lawyers and politicians — to ask for help, but has had no success. 

"I've tried every government official [and] they pass the letters on from one to another. It seems like everybody's passing the buck on this situation," said Murphy.

She says her grandson is 10 years old and misses his father, but that they won't be able to reunite without proper rehabilitation. 

"He just wants a normal life, and he needs to be given the chance to have one," she said. 

The penitentiary has faced staff shortages and deteriorating physical infrastructure.

Murphy says a new facility is desperately needed, as well as new mental health support. 

"Everybody has heard the stories, the rats, the water, the air exchangers," she said. "It's terrible."

Mental illness is not a crime

Tina Olivero has been a mental health and addictions advocate since her son, Ben Olivero, died of a drug overdose at 20 years old. 

Olivero has been supporting Murphy in her advocacy work. She said people with mental illness often don't commit crimes before getting sick, so it is important that they're given the opportunity to be treated before being put in prison. 

"Mental illness is not a crime. Mental illness is an illness that needs to be fixed," said Olivero. 

Sarah Furlong, executive director of the Mental Health Foundation of Canada, was also at Wednesday's rally.

She said without mental health care more people will end up in prison and communities will be less safe. 

"It is a human right to have psychiatric care and I'd really like for the government and for our system to do something about it," said Furlong. 

Protester Penny Mutrey says the issues inside HMP are far-reaching. She said the mental health and addiction crisis in the city and lack of housing pushes more people into prison. 

"It's just a continuous circle," she said. 

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