Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke Delivers Remarks at the 3rd Annual Sozosei Summit to Decriminalize Mental Illness

Good morning. I am so pleased to be here with all of you at this important gathering. I have a lot to share with you about the work that the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is doing to address the pervasive discrimination against people with mental health disabilities. Much of that work relates directly to your theme of the criminalization of mental illness. Other parts of our work concern related issues including the segregation, isolation, and unequal treatment of people with mental health disabilities — in schools, housing, employment, service systems and other areas. Those forms of discrimination often contribute to criminal justice involvement as well.