Hospital crowding keeps mentally ill languishing in jail

[question everything]

Hospital crowding keeps mentally ill languishing in jail

Lawyer says rights are being violated

ASSOCIATED PRESS

October 10, 2005

NAPA – More than 100 patients, including suspects awaiting trial and defendants who have been found not guilty by reason of insanity, sit on a waiting list to be admitted to Napa State Hospital, which is above capacity.

A Marin County deputy public defender says her client has been languishing in the county jail for four months after being declared mentally incompetent to stand trial on attempted rape charges.

(snip)

The transfer of a mentally incompetent defendant from county jail typically takes several weeks, Lewis said. With the backlog, suspects are waiting months. Once inmates are housed at a state facility, they are treated with psychotropic medication, and when they are stabilized and functioning, hospital staff prepare them for court proceedings, Lewis said. Inmates are returned to local counties to face charges when hospital evaluators deem them able to comprehend the situation.

(snip)

The embattled Napa hospital is undergoing a series of changes after a recent scathing U.S. Department of Justice report that found systemic problems at several state hospitals, including patients who overdosed on illegal drugs or were left for up to 12 hours in soiled diapers. Stephen Mayberg of the state Department of Mental Health assured officials the problems are being addressed during testimony last month before a state Senate committee.


Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051010/news_1n10beds.html

[rodeodance]

1. fine example of not lack of concern with Mental Ilness in the US--but that

goes for the health care system in general--it is available to those with insurance.

.....The embattled Napa hospital is undergoing a series of changes after a recent scathing U.S. Department of Justice report that found systemic problems at several state hospitals, including patients who overdosed on illegal drugs or were left for up to 12 hours in soiled diapers. Stephen Mayberg of the state Department of Mental Health assured officials the problems are being addressed during testimony last month before a state Senate committee.

[EFerrari]

2. They almost killed Doug.

I don't want to do my rant here, but at one point I seriously considered trying to get the largest clinic in L.A. SHUT DOWN because it's dangerous, both for their clients and for their families.

Stephen Mayberg is full of it.

Maybe I should call Justice. But, then, they might just haul me away for impure thoughts. :)

[sam sarrha]

3. that is one of the Glories of the Reagan Administration

[EFerrari]

4. Hey, how do I find out what committee Mendacity Mayberg

testified to? Because I want to talk to them. I documented everything and in fact, it's the subject of my book. You don't have to be psychic to know the good doctor perjured himself.

Does anyone have a clue as to how to find out?

[question everything]

9. This one, perhaps?

http://www.senate.ca.gov/ftp/sen/committee/sub/HHS_MNTL_HEALTH/_home1/PROFILE.HTM

Here are all of them

http://www.senate.ca.gov/~newsen/committees/Sub.htp

[EFerrari]

10. thanks so much

You know, when we were in the middle of all that, all I could do is document.

They're in real trouble now 'cause I got me a second wind.

:)

[question everything]

13. Go get them, Beth!

I would think that documenting poor Andy's brave last months have prepared you for more battles.

Get the bastards!

[EFerrari]

14. What I meant was, I have a diary for a whole year

when we were in Santa Monica. It's a record of incompetence, disrespect and malpractice by any standard. Hadn't thought of it in this way before, but the stuff recorded there is pretty damning.

I try to stay positive, and to work with the system as much as possible. It is what we have. But institutionally, the whole thing needs a big hair cut. Really, the clients of the clinic are not safe. And I think it's the biggest one in the whole country.

[ninkasi]

5. Yet another example of idiotic political thinking

We apparently feel that building more and more jails and prisons, to imprison more and more people for things such as minor drug offenses, should be a top priority, because of the ridiculous "War on Drugs." Money for decent mental health care facilities, or for drug rehab facilities, is of course in short supply.

We create a problem by passing laws that we know won't control drug use, take minor drug offenders, and throw them in with hardened criminals, ignore those with mental and emotional problems, and wonder why the system doesn't work.

Anybody who already has mental problems, especially if they are guilty of the apparently dangerous crime of being poor, especially poor and black, are thrown into situations which will intensify whatever problems they had to begin with. The longer we live under conservative rule, the worse the problem will get.

People who have mental disorders need compassion and treatment, not cruelty and inhumane treatment. Fewer and fewer people have the financial means to help loved ones who suffer with problems, too.

[EFerrari]

6. They need plain old good doctors.

Hubby was going off about twice a week for years until I got so fed up, I fired the public mental health system and got him a private doctor.

He's been fine since. Eight years for our family -- and that's only the AVERAGE.

:nuke:

[ninkasi]

8. I'm so glad to hear that...

Yes, good doctors can make all the difference in the world. That's why affordable health care, or better still, universal health care, is so important for us. As one who was a victim of the public system, I'll bet those were terrible years for you. I'm glad things have been fine since!

[EFerrari]

11. The change is frankly amazing.

Some of his old friends come up to me and tell me it's downright spooky.

All that time, he was suffering because WE CAN'T DELIVER THE TECH WE HAVE.

That's why I want to follow up on this. If this happened to us, it continues to happen to many -- and to people less able to stand up for themselves.

cheers & best wishes,
Beth

[Megahurtz]

7. Makes sense to me.

Oh what a wonderful country we live in.:eyes:

:sarcasm:

[Sgent]

12. Hell

in Mississippi, there are more than 100 people sitting in jail that committed no crime -- but were found mentally ill by a judge and in need of treatment.

These are people who in many cases their families sought the judicial order for treatment -- and who never entered the Crim Jus system.

[EFerrari]

15. The California penal system is the biggest provider

of mental health "services" in the world. Los Angeles County Jail. I think a jail in New York is the second biggest.