Santo Domingo.- The president of the Dominican Committee for Mental Health in Prisons, Sandra Fernández, stated that the actions of this body, which was sworn in this Wednesday, will not be directed solely at people deprived of liberty, but also at prison staff, considering that both groups face significant emotional challenges that require specialized attention.
Fernández explained that prison officers perform highly demanding psychological roles, as they are involved daily in the custody, guidance, and rehabilitation processes of inmates. As he indicated, this reality constantly exposes them to burnout syndrome, a condition associated with chronic stress and emotional exhaustion derived from work.
Read more: President Abinader swears in the Dominican Penitentiary Mental Health Committee
“These people who guard, who guide, and who participate in this process of change face an immense emotional burden, which is why they deserve all our attention,” the specialist expressed, highlighting the importance of developing accompaniment and psychological support programs for this sector.
The committee chair pointed out that mental health must be conceived as an essential component of the transformation of the penitentiary system, which is why clinical evaluations and intervention programs must go beyond traditional surveillance to focus on the comprehensive reconstruction of the individual, through standardized and scientifically validated clinical protocols.
Likewise, he highlighted that another of the initiative’s strategic axes will be the professionalization of personnel through continuous training and collaboration with the academic sector. In that sense, he proposed the consolidation of a teaching medical center for penitentiary health that integrates specialized clinical care, professional training, and applied research.
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Fernández considered that the combination of psychological assistance, specialized training, and knowledge generation will allow for strengthening both the rehabilitation of inmates and the well-being of those who work in penitentiary centers, contributing to a more humane and effective management of the system.
The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, led the swearing-in of the Dominican Committee for Penitentiary Mental Health this Wednesday at the National Palace, an initiative that seeks to strengthen policies, programs, and actions aimed at the comprehensive mental health care of people deprived of liberty.
The swearing-in ceremony took place within the framework of the Penitentiary Mental Health Week, a national event held from June 2nd to 7th that brings together government authorities, national and international specialists, representatives of the penitentiary system, universities, and organizations linked to mental health and social rehabilitation.
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The Dominican Committee for Penitentiary Mental Health is composed of representatives from academic institutions, penitentiary system bodies, health entities, and specialized organizations, with the purpose of promoting research, fostering inter-institutional cooperation, and developing strategies that contribute to emotional and psychological well-being within the Dominican penitentiary system.
