Santo Domingo.- The Penitentiary System of the Dominican Republic, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Mescyt), and Albizu University of Puerto Rico are advancing in the formalization of a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening mental health care for incarcerated individuals and specialized training for prison staff.
The initiative contemplates the development of academic programs, specialties, master’s degrees, and doctorates aimed at training professionals with the necessary competencies to address the emotional and psychological needs of the prison population, as part of the rehabilitation and social reintegration efforts promoted by the Dominican Government.
The honorary advisor to the Executive Branch for prison reform, Roberto Santana, highlighted that the mental health of inmates constitutes one of the main priorities within the transformation process of the national penitentiary system.
He explained that many of the people deprived of liberty face situations of family isolation, emotional conflicts, and psychological disorders that require specialized attention to facilitate their rehabilitation and subsequent reintegration into society.
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“To develop effective rehabilitation and reintegration programs, it is essential that individuals deprived of liberty receive adequate emotional and psychological support. For this reason, we seek to strengthen the capabilities of prison staff and expand mental health care within correctional centers,” stated Santana.
For his part, the president of the Albizu University of Puerto Rico, Julio Santana, affirmed that the institution maintains a firm commitment to the training of specialized professionals in mental health and emotional well-being.
He indicated that the university has collaborated for years with educational initiatives in the Dominican Republic and that it now seeks to expand that support through programs aimed at the penitentiary system.
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“People deprived of liberty need tools that allow them to reconnect with their families and prepare for a productive life upon regaining their freedom. We have trained professionals committed to sharing knowledge and strengthening the capabilities of Dominican specialists,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Vice Minister of Higher Education and the Vice Minister of International Relations, Evarista Matías and Paula Disla, from Mescyt, reported that since 2024 the institution has facilitated training opportunities for Dominican students at Albizu University, through the Vice Ministry of International Relations.
They explained that the new tripartite agreement will allow for expanding this collaboration and developing training programs specifically aimed at the penitentiary sector, with the goal of positively impacting inmates, their families, and the staff working in correctional centers.
The authorities highlighted that this project is part of the national strategy to incorporate mental health as a fundamental pillar within educational and social policies, ensuring that vulnerable sectors of the population also have access to emotional well-being and human development programs.
