Criminal Justice Resources For People With Mental Illness
The characters in UNLAWFUL DISORDER all have various stories detailing their interactions with police based on mental health crises. Eden has a history of interaction with police in trying to assist a schizophrenic parent navigate through the mental health system.
That history leaves him more open minded in his encounters with Bowie, who has always been up front with him about his history of mental illness. Eden’s history also might leave him more ambivalent or passive in his perceptions of interactions he sees between Bowie and his mother, Magdelene, who identifies herself as the only person able to help him once he has been entangled in the criminal justice system.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides invaluable resources and guidance for people with mental illness and their families. The following information (and more) can be found on the NAMI website.
Unfortunately, many individuals with mental illness have encounters with the criminal justice system. To help these individuals and those who support them, we have compiled resources in three sections:
Although the advice provided should be helpful, it is not legal advice. It is important to obtain the services of a lawyer for someone who is in police custody. Try to prevent the police from questioning a family member with mental illness without a lawyer present. The resources listed in the second section provide advice about how to find a lawyer, and the last section provides the contact information for Public Defenders in the Philadelphia region.
Preventing Arrest
The best way to avoid problems with the criminal justice system is to avoid arrest by arranging for ongoing and/or emergency treatment before the situation escalates to necessitate police involvement. If you have concerns that a crisis may arise, it is helpful to notify the police in advance that a household includes a person with a severe mental illness, so the police can respond in an informed manner if an emergency arises. The following paragraphs provide resources to help with both of these suggested approaches, as well as a resource to try to locate a missing loved one before they become involved with the police.
Treatment and Crisis Intervention
Obviously the best way to prevent arrest of an individual with mental illness is effective treatment to avoid a mental health crisis. Programs such as assertive community treatment (PACT) can help to prevent mental health crises or relapse after a hospitalization. Many resources for finding treatment, including free or low-cost treatment, are available in “How to Get Government Services” (https://namimainlinepa.org/info-resources/how-to-get-services/) and “Introduction to Services for Individuals with Mental Illness and their Family Members In Southeastern Pennsylvania” (https://namimainlinepa.org/info-resources/intro-to-services/). For additional information, contact your local NAMI affiliate (http://www.nami.org) and/or your County Office of Behavioral Health or Mental Health.
For multiple resources to help you cope with a crisis, prepare for a crisis, and/or prevent a crisis, see https://namimainlinepa.org/resources-for-coping-with-preparing-for-and-preventing-a-crisis/.
Notifying First Responders That You or Your Family Member Has a Mental Illness before a Problem Arises
The Pennsylvania Premise Alert System provides families with a uniform method to alert first responders with information about persons who have mental illness. Knowing a person’s medical situation ahead of time can be important for quick and educated responses that increase safety and the likelihood that the person will receive appropriate treatment rather than arrest during a crisis. Only legal guardians, those with Power of Attorney, or the person with the mental illness can complete the standardized form. There is no fee. Copies of the completed form should be given to the local police. The information will be put into the 9-1-1 system for future use. The information should be updated every year or two. For a free copy of the form go to http://www.papremisealert.com/.
Residents can download a similar form with instructions specific to Philadelphia. This form also should be given to the local police. Go to https://www.phila.gov/media/20180827154712/PPD-ADARegistration.pdf.
The Vial of Life project provides important information for first responders when a person is unable to communicate this information. Information about medications, copy of advance directive, etc. is put in the vial, and the vial and a Vial of Life decal are put on the refrigerator. A second decal is placed on the front door. Since this is not a wide-spread program in this area it’s probably a good idea to notify fire/police that you have this information available. For a Vial of Life kit, go to http://vialoflife.com/?gclid=CJ_EkNvkkqECFd1n5QodrVJ_Mw.
Missing Persons
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons Database allows the general public to add new missing persons, add physical and circumstantial details, photographs, dental contacts and other critical pieces of information, create and print missing persons posters and track cases (https://www.findthemissing.org/). Additional resources are available at www.outpostforhope.org and additional advice is available at http://www.nami.org/missing.