Provision of mental health services at the detention hospital in Guantanamo Bay.

Abstract

There is significant interest in the mental health status of the detainees held in Guantanamo Bay (GTMO). At the same time, there are many questions regarding their care and the practices of the mental health providers there. This manuscript provides a synopsis of the general mental health status and care of the detainees, as well as their treatment options, the various roles of the mental health providers in GTMO and several of the challenges associated with providing care to this population.

Materializing US Security: Guantanamo's Object Lessons and Concrete Messages

“…Four elements were used to reinforce this message: that Guantánamo provided state‐of‐the‐art medical care and facilities (including mental healthcare) despite its “expeditionary” (or war‐zone) nature; that there were (at that time) no deaths in custody; that hunger striking was properly managed; and that this professional, humane care was provided despite the irrational and mentally unstable nature of the detainees (Okie ). Throughout the tours, visitors were nonetheless denied information relating to, for example, the number of suicide attempts or “suicide gestures” (Kennedy, Malone and Franks :4).…”

Institutional ethical conflicts with illustrations from police and military psychology.

“…In April, a better constructed facility was opened, which included improved facilities (e.g., recreational areas, in-cell toilets, etc.). The evolution of the camp since April 2002 resulted in approximately nine separate facilities (including two modern multimillion dollar prisons modeled after two U.S. facilities), plus three detainee medical clinics, a detainee hospital, and a separate behavioral health unit ( Cucullu, 2009 ;Kennedy, Malone, et al, 2009 ).…”

Preparing psychologists for high-risk jobs: Key ethical considerations for military clinical supervisors.

“…Of course, no military psychology role has generated more recent attention and controversy than that of work in wartime detention facilities. Even when a uniformed psychologist is ordered to such a facility exclusively for the purpose of providing care to detainees (Kennedy, Malone, & Franks, 2009), he or she may experience considerable confusion and distress about whether such work is ethical or permitted by the APA (2008).…”