Journalists Uncover Shocking Mental Health Crisis—You Won't Believe the Stats Behind Their Award!

Mackenzie Mays of Bloomberg Law and Jon Schuppe of NBC News have been awarded the 2025 Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting from the National Press Foundation for their groundbreaking investigative series titled “Pregnancy Behind Bars.” This yearlong endeavor unveils the systemic failures in providing adequate maternal and mental health care to pregnant women incarcerated in jails across the United States.

Utilizing thousands of pages of legal complaints, depositions, police reports, medical records, and body camera footage, Mays and Schuppe document an alarming reality: women jailed for low-level offenses—many of whom cannot afford bail amounts as low as $125—are often ignored, leading to tragic outcomes such as miscarriages, labor during confinement, and even preventable deaths.

“This series underscores that dehumanization is a mental health issue,” one judge remarked. Another added, “Human dignity is a critical component of mental health. The women profiled in this series were not only denied medical care, but they were subject to psychological conditions shocking in their cruelty.”

In a comprehensive analysis of federal civil rights lawsuits spanning from 2017 to 2024, Mays and Schuppe identified at least 54 cases where pregnant women or their families alleged severe mistreatment or medical neglect within county jails. The series also includes a companion piece that highlights the individual stories of these women, further emphasizing the human aspect of this crisis.

The judges of the award praised Mays and Schuppe's work as “strong, rigorous, data-driven reporting designed for impact.” They noted that the series used careful, transparent methodology combined with deeply human storytelling to illuminate the mental health dimensions of a crisis that has remained largely hidden from public view. Their findings have prompted legislative discussions, with officials in Congress and several states, including Pennsylvania and California, expressing alarm over the investigation. This has led to proposed measures aimed at keeping pregnant women out of jail, improving monitoring for those who are incarcerated, and ensuring they receive proper health care.

Some lawmakers are advancing legislation that seeks alternatives to incarceration for pregnant women, a response that highlights the growing recognition of the issues raised in the series. The investigation has ignited a crucial dialogue about the treatment of some of the most vulnerable women in America, with implications that could resonate throughout the criminal justice system.

Additionally, the judging panel recognized Sarah Stillman with an honorable mention for her investigation “Starved in Jail” and its companion piece “Starved for Care.” This work, a collaboration with the Investigative Reporting Lab at Yale, examines the mental health histories and crisis situations of over two dozen individuals who died due to a lack of food or water in U.S. jails. The judges commended Stillman’s deep reporting, acknowledging the deadly consequences of untreated mental illness within the prison system. They were particularly moved by the profiles featured in “Starved for Care,” which vividly illustrated the tragic outcomes stemming from negligence.

The Carolyn C. Mattingly Award was established in 2015 to honor the legacy of Carolyn C. Mattingly, a philanthropist and activist from Potomac, Maryland, who tragically passed away in 2014. The award recognizes outstanding journalism that sheds light on mental health issues and treatments. It carries a $10,000 prize and is awarded annually for work published in the previous calendar year.

Mays and Schuppe’s investigative series not only highlights the dire need for reform in the treatment of pregnant women in jails but also serves as a call to action for lawmakers and the public to advocate for more humane conditions and care for those incarcerated. The series stands as a testament to the power of journalism to effect change, making it clear that mental health and human dignity are inextricably linked in the pursuit of justice.