At FFIMI, we have sounded this alarm before—and we are far from alone. Advocates, families, clinicians, and impacted individuals have long called for meaningful change at Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH). Yet the suffering continues.
The population at BSH includes some of the most vulnerable people in our state—individuals living with serious mental illness. These individuals are not criminals. They are patients. And they need treatment, not punishment.
Placing BSH under the jurisdiction of the DOC reinforces a culture of custody and control, rather than care and recovery. This approach is not just wrong—it is harmful. As this video illustrates with painful clarity, the failure to provide appropriate, stabilizing, trauma-informed care has devastating consequences for the individuals at BSH, for their loved ones, and for the future of our Commonwealth’s intertwined mental health and criminal justice systems.
Set to John Legend’s haunting rendition of “A Bridge Over Troubled Waters,” this video is a powerful depiction of the emotional anguish endured by men at Bridgewater State Hospital—and the urgent, long-ignored need to replace punishment with compassionate mental health care.
DMH Must Take Responsibility for BSH
The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) has the capacity, training, and mission to provide secure, therapeutic environments where individuals can stabilize, heal, and move toward recovery. Continuing to treat mental illness through a correctional lens leads only to further trauma, longer incarcerations, and deepening despair.
What You Can Do
We need your voice. Let Massachusetts leadership know that it’s time for a change.
Together, we can stand up for humane care, for dignity, and for systemic change.
Family and Friends of Individuals with Mental Illness ~ Advocating for those who are Justice Involved 