VAAC Friday Community Meetings are a weekly space for connection, updates, and shared learning.
May 22 | Mental Health Awareness Month Conversation
Join VAAC on May 22 at 12:30 PM for our Friday Community meeting, featuring special guest Hakim Crampton.
Hakim Crampton is a Lyrical Educator, Hip Hopologist, Justice Advocate, Author, Consultant, Healing Centered Practitioner, Government Relations Liaison at Citizens for Prison Reform, and Founder of The Academic Mentoring & Education Network.
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, this conversation will focus on the connection between mental health, policy, and access.
Hakim will discuss a Therapeutic Spaces proposal focused on alternatives to solitary confinement and the growing movement in Michigan to address the harms caused by long-term isolation in prisons.
The proposal includes therapeutic spaces intended to reduce isolation and support mental health through increased out-of-cell time, expanded visitation access, sensory activities such as art and music, outdoor activity, exercise opportunities, and trauma-informed mental health policies developed with healthcare and treatment experts.
The conversation will also explore broader prison reform and legislative advocacy efforts connected to mental health, solitary confinement, family visitation rights, corrections oversight, and transparency within Michigan’s prison system.
Hakim will discuss current proposals supported by Citizens for Prison Reform, including efforts to expand the authority of the Legislative Corrections Ombudsman through HB 5920 and HB 5921, advocacy around preserving family visitation access, and proposals that would place limits on solitary confinement while developing therapeutic alternatives and trauma-informed spaces.
Advocates continue raising concerns about long-term isolation, medical neglect, mental health neglect, diminished visitation opportunities, staffing shortages, and the broader impact prison conditions have on incarcerated people, correctional staff, families, and community reintegration efforts.
Reporting by Solitary Watch has also highlighted ongoing efforts by Michigan advocates to challenge the use of solitary confinement and document its impact on incarcerated people and their families.
May 22 
12:30 – 1:30 PM EST
Virtual (Zoom) 
Join: bit.ly/VAACFridays
Upcoming meeting dates:
June 5 June 26 July 17 July 31 August 14 August 28
The post Today’s VAAC Friday Community Meeting: Mental Health Awareness Month Conversation on Solitary Confinement appeared first on Voting Access For All.