I think there is a stigma associated with seeking mental health advice and counselling. I think one way to increase the number of people using these resources is to normalize the response from the beginning by saying, “This could very well happen to you, and there are resources in this information pack. This is normal. We give this to all jurors. There's nothing wrong with you personally if you're having this reaction.” I think that sometimes jurors will have these reactions and not associate them as having to do with the trial and as meaning they need to seek mental health services for them.
I think normalizing it by talking about it early and handing every juror an exit sheet that has.... Some people don't want to do one-on-one mental health counselling. I also know jurors who have been in debriefing sessions with the group, but part of the problem is the group. It was the other jurors they were having issues with, so they didn't want to participate in that particular process. I think having multiple levels of support, saying, “Okay, maybe you don't want to talk to this....”
Again, this is touchy, because it goes back to section 649. There are some people who'd probably be more comfortable talking about it with a spiritual leader or with family members and who wouldn't want to talk about it with a court-appointed mental health counsellor. We all deal with stress in different ways, and not everyone who's experiencing these symptoms knows they need mental health support and feels comfortable seeking it.
I think providing a wide variety of resources and normalizing the response so jurors can learn to recognize it in themselves when they see it could increase attendance or compliance with the programs.