Incarceration is often defined by loss—the loss of freedom, autonomy, connection, and purpose. But in certain prisons, programs exist that challenge this stark reality, offering opportunities for growth, healing, and service. One such program is the American VetDogs Prison Puppy Program, which allows incarcerated individuals to raise and train service dogs that will eventually assist… Continue reading The Transformative Power of the Prison Puppy Program
At FFIMI, we know how vital family and community connections are for our loved ones who are incarcerated. These relationships provide emotional support, promote well-being, and are essential to rehabilitation and successful re-entry. Yet, restrictive visitation policies in Massachusetts prisons and jails continue to create unnecessary barriers that keep families apart. That’s why we are… Continue reading Keep Families Connected Coalition: Support Legislation to Improve Visitation Policies
Another scathing report about Bridgewater State Hospital Disabiltiy Law Center just released their Feb. 6, 2025 report and the conditions at Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH) have NOT improved. The report states: "The Commonwealth must stop waiting for change that will never come and protect BSH Persons Served (PS), a population widely recognized as including individuals… Continue reading Disability Law Center Finds Unlawful, Violent Practices and Unsafe Environmental Conditions Persist at Bridgewater State Hospital
Repost from WBUR December 11, 2024 by Cristela Guerra and Stephanie Brown The story of FFIMI friend and supporter, Ernest Nate Benjamin, was told in an interview on WBUR 90.1 radio today. Nate is in a group of about 150 individuals in Massachusetts who were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole… Continue reading A year after Mass. high court ruled emerging adults should have parole, no one has been released
Wednesday, November 13, 7pm - Gasson Hall, Chestnut Hill MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellow and University of Chicago sociologist Dr. Reuben Miller is the author of Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration. As a chaplain at the Cook County Jail in Chicago and as a sociologist studying mass incarceration, he has spent years… Continue reading Dr. Reuben Jonathan Miller – this week at Boston College
At FFIMI, we are committed to learning from global approaches that prioritize dignity, mental health, and rehabilitation for incarcerated individuals. The article we’re sharing today highlights the progressive Nordic prison model, which emphasizes humane treatment and rehabilitation—an approach that stands in stark contrast to the punitive conditions found in many U.S. prisons, especially for those… Continue reading Green Space in Prison: Rehabilitation through Beautification
By Ernest Nate Benjamin Hello, friends, family, and supporters of Family & Friends of Individuals with Mental Illness (FFIMI). I wanted to share another piece for the FFIMI blog. I wrote to the powers that be a while ago, hoping to secure funding and training for clinicians to learn about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing… Continue reading From Trauma to Healing: Advocating for EMDR in Prisons
By Benjamin Walsh Years go by, and I don't understand my place here or what this is—what prison is. Is it punishment? Correction? Restoration? Hell? Just a warehouse? All those things at various times? The department is a living contradiction of aims. It needs strong leadership to bring it into becoming something that actually resembles… Continue reading A Reflection from the Inside: The Power of Leadership and the Opportunity for Cultural Shift in the Massachusetts DOC
At Families and Friends of Incarcerated Individuals (FFIMI), we intimately understand the significance of maintaining strong bonds with our loved ones who are incarcerated, as well as the considerable barriers hindering this connection. That is why we have previously shared about a bill to lift many restrictions on visiting loved ones who are incarcerated, and… Continue reading Support Keeping Families Connected – Contact Your State Rep before May 8th
What is BH-JI? BH-JI is a MassHealth program that helps people leaving jail or prison, people who have recently left jail or prison, people on parole, and people on probation to connect with behavioral health services and social supports in the community. BH-JI is a partnership between the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human… Continue reading Helpful MassHealth Resource: Behavioral Health-Justice Involved (BH-JI)
Family and Friends of Individuals with Mental Illness ~ Advocating for those who are Justice Involved 