Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026
Use of a Central Venous Line for Fluids, Drugs and Nutrient Administration in a Mouse Model of Critical Illness
Published on: May 2, 2017
Voting rights for persons with serious mental illnesses in the U.S
Sarah R Kamens1, Eliana Blum1, Thomas H Styron2
1Department of Psychology.
Objective:
Voting is a fundamental right in democratic societies. Despite this fact, persons with serious mental illnesses (SMIs) frequently encounter barriers to exercising this right. The purposes of this Brief Report are to emphasize the importance of electoral participation in this population, to describe common barriers, and to outline relevant federal and state laws.
Method:
We conducted a review of the relevant psychological and legal literature.
Findings:
Due to the structural barriers that they encounter, individuals with SMIs are less likely to vote than the general population. Federal laws that protect voting rights for persons with disabilities are the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, the Americans With Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Help America Vote Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the National Voter Registration Act. State laws concerning voter competence, photo IDs, voter challenges, and incarceration practices can affect the electoral participation of persons with SMIs.
Conclusions And Implications For Practice:
We offer recommendations for mental health professionals and other stakeholders who are interested in addressing barriers and engaging in advocacy efforts that might increase voting opportunities among persons diagnosed with SMIs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Related Concept Videos
01:17Classification of Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe...
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
01:29Concepts of Health and Illness
01:21Dimensions of Health and Illness
01:30Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...