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Does anyone know how mental illness in jail is handled?
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<blockquote data-quote="Copabanana" data-source="post: 761324" data-attributes="member: 18958"><p>Dear Nandina</p><p> </p><p>I am only just now seeing your alarming and disturbing post. I haven't worked in jails but worked many years in prisons and almost all prisoners are first in jails. I will try my best to tell you what I know.</p><p></p><p>I agree with you. Your son seems clearly to be in the throes of a psychosis. The meth-psychosis may have been exacerbated by the isolation. </p><p></p><p>I will speak about how these things are handled in my state. I don't know about the state where he is incarcerated. </p><p></p><p>First of all, incarcerated people are dependents. What that means is that because they can't leave the County or State or in the case of Federal facilities, the nation, are responsible to provide for their needs to a level commensurate with what would be available if they were not incarcerated. This would not be "excellent" care. It is adequate care. This is constitutionally mandated. We as a society can't lock people up and then deny them what they need to live and to sustain baseline functioning.</p><p></p><p>It is not permitted that somebody have an untreated psychosis past a point. Inmates must consent to medication or other treatment. But they can be forcibly treated if they are dangerous to themselves, others or gravely disabled--which means, roughly, they are unable to meet their needs as far as eating, hygiene, functioning, health, etc. I have seen frequently, unfortunately, that prisoners who don't bother anybody are left psychotic and untreated. Sometimes, for years. </p><p></p><p>If your son is incoherent, it seems safe to say that he is unable to advocate for his needs. That means, you must. I will speak from experience in prison. A squeaky wheel does get attention. In prison there are people called "correctional counselors." I don't know what would be comparable in jail, but I would begin to call all day and every day. I would ask for the psychologist, I would ask for anybody that is in charge of his welfare, up to and including the person in charge, who in prison would be called the warden. I don't know what that is called in jail but in my state, sheriffs run jail. </p><p></p><p>In my experience it would be very difficult to get private medical people into see him. I have heard of it in prison but that was done through visiting and it is almost unheard of. But the thing is, there must be free treatment at the facility. If there isn't this would be constitutionally forbidden.</p><p></p><p>If there is no response I would call the governor's office, and the congresspeople of the city in which he is housed. I would even call senators. I would call anybody up the chain of authority. There are also advocates for incarcerated people. I would look for this kind of organization in the state where he is. I would be relentless. I have been called by at least one mother, when I was working. She was frantic. It was very similar to your situation.</p><p></p><p>I have a hard time imagining you can communicate with your son at all--in a way that he understands--and complies with. But in prison the best way to notify mental health staff is to put a note into a box, or give it to the custodial officer. Medical people are compelled to respond in a proscribed length of time, depending upon the severity of the crisis. But I don't see your son being able at this point to help himself in this way. But absent that, you can do it for him. I am certain of that.</p><p></p><p>His healthcare including mental health care is mandatory, not optional. They can't shirk it. But if he's incoherent and not making problems, this can be ignored a long time. You have to make sure that they can't ignore it. I would follow up my calls with letter writing, emails, and the like. This establishes a paper trail that can't be ignored, or your son or people that advocate for him would have a MAJOR lawsuit. Remember, this is the constitution we're talking about. </p><p></p><p>If there is anything I can do to help, please PM me. I mean that Nandina. I am so very sorry this has happened. Your son is such a good person at heart. I am suffering along with you for him. Any question you want to ask, please do, and I will try to answer. Please keep me in the loop. I am so very concerned.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Copabanana, post: 761324, member: 18958"] Dear Nandina I am only just now seeing your alarming and disturbing post. I haven't worked in jails but worked many years in prisons and almost all prisoners are first in jails. I will try my best to tell you what I know. I agree with you. Your son seems clearly to be in the throes of a psychosis. The meth-psychosis may have been exacerbated by the isolation. I will speak about how these things are handled in my state. I don't know about the state where he is incarcerated. First of all, incarcerated people are dependents. What that means is that because they can't leave the County or State or in the case of Federal facilities, the nation, are responsible to provide for their needs to a level commensurate with what would be available if they were not incarcerated. This would not be "excellent" care. It is adequate care. This is constitutionally mandated. We as a society can't lock people up and then deny them what they need to live and to sustain baseline functioning. It is not permitted that somebody have an untreated psychosis past a point. Inmates must consent to medication or other treatment. But they can be forcibly treated if they are dangerous to themselves, others or gravely disabled--which means, roughly, they are unable to meet their needs as far as eating, hygiene, functioning, health, etc. I have seen frequently, unfortunately, that prisoners who don't bother anybody are left psychotic and untreated. Sometimes, for years. If your son is incoherent, it seems safe to say that he is unable to advocate for his needs. That means, you must. I will speak from experience in prison. A squeaky wheel does get attention. In prison there are people called "correctional counselors." I don't know what would be comparable in jail, but I would begin to call all day and every day. I would ask for the psychologist, I would ask for anybody that is in charge of his welfare, up to and including the person in charge, who in prison would be called the warden. I don't know what that is called in jail but in my state, sheriffs run jail. In my experience it would be very difficult to get private medical people into see him. I have heard of it in prison but that was done through visiting and it is almost unheard of. But the thing is, there must be free treatment at the facility. If there isn't this would be constitutionally forbidden. If there is no response I would call the governor's office, and the congresspeople of the city in which he is housed. I would even call senators. I would call anybody up the chain of authority. There are also advocates for incarcerated people. I would look for this kind of organization in the state where he is. I would be relentless. I have been called by at least one mother, when I was working. She was frantic. It was very similar to your situation. I have a hard time imagining you can communicate with your son at all--in a way that he understands--and complies with. But in prison the best way to notify mental health staff is to put a note into a box, or give it to the custodial officer. Medical people are compelled to respond in a proscribed length of time, depending upon the severity of the crisis. But I don't see your son being able at this point to help himself in this way. But absent that, you can do it for him. I am certain of that. His healthcare including mental health care is mandatory, not optional. They can't shirk it. But if he's incoherent and not making problems, this can be ignored a long time. You have to make sure that they can't ignore it. I would follow up my calls with letter writing, emails, and the like. This establishes a paper trail that can't be ignored, or your son or people that advocate for him would have a MAJOR lawsuit. Remember, this is the constitution we're talking about. If there is anything I can do to help, please PM me. I mean that Nandina. I am so very sorry this has happened. Your son is such a good person at heart. I am suffering along with you for him. Any question you want to ask, please do, and I will try to answer. Please keep me in the loop. I am so very concerned. [/QUOTE]
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Does anyone know how mental illness in jail is handled?
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