International Forum to address mental health in the Dominican Penitentiary System

Santo Domingo.- The International Forum “Mental Health and the Penitentiary System” will take place on October 10 and 11, 2025, at the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National Library Auditorium, in observance of International Mental Health Day. Organized by ONAPREP in coordination with the Regional Penitentiary Academy (ARP), the Prisons Forum, the Dominican College of Psychologists (CODOPSI), and the Dominican Association of Social Work Professionals (ADOPTRASOC), the forum will bring together specialists from Argentina, Spain, the United States, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

Over two days, participants will discuss mental health in prison settings, covering topics such as the connection between mental health and criminal justice, the biopsychosocial approach to behavior, youth risk factors, challenges in the Dominican penitentiary system, and international best practices for psychological care of inmates. Key international speakers include Elliot Palma, Juan Carlos Corzo, Carlos Fonfrías, Julio Santana Mariño, Juan Carlos Domínguez, Silvio Angelini, and Nubia Lluberes.

The opening ceremony will feature remarks from Minister of Public Health Dr. Víctor Atallah, ONAPREP director Roberto Santana, forum coordinator Elliott Palma, and Yanis Mejía, coordinator of ONAPREP’s Health Department and CODOPSI president. The program includes keynote addresses, thematic panels, roundtables, and the signing of the Ibero-American Declaration on Mental Health and the Penitentiary System, summarizing the forum’s conclusions and proposals. The event aims to strengthen cooperation between justice, health, and educational institutions, promoting evidence-based public policies and human rights to improve comprehensive care in prisons.