I have never felt this Broken. I dont know what to do . On Sunday 8/20 I was told unless my child is hurting herself or others there is no way to get her hospitalized. She finally got out of my sight and i called the cops only for them to take her to jail and lying to me telling me i had to press charges. I am just venting but this has been the hardest thing I and my daughter went through and she is still in the laws hands with no medication. Where are the Mental Health Laws and Emergency help in Virginia. Im so broken and lost .
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I asked Bard, the Google AI chatbot, “What’s the best way to get a mentally ill person out of jail in Virginia?” It came up with this answer, which sounds good to me:
Here are some ways to get a mentally ill person out of jail in Virginia:
- Contact the jail’s mental health department. The jail’s mental health department can assess the person’s mental health status and make recommendations for treatment.
- Hire an attorney. An attorney can help you navigate the legal system and advocate for your loved one’s release.
- File a writ of habeas corpus. A writ of habeas corpus is a legal document that asks a court to determine whether someone is being unlawfully detained.
- Request a competency hearing. A competency hearing is a court hearing to determine whether someone is mentally competent to stand trial. If the person is found incompetent, they may be released from jail and placed in a mental health facility.
- Request a bond hearing. A bond hearing is a court hearing to determine whether someone can be released from jail on bail. If the person is released on bail, they will be required to pay a certain amount of money to the court and will be monitored by the court.
It is important to note that the best way to get a mentally ill person out of jail will vary depending on the specific circumstances of the case. If you are concerned about a loved one who is in jail, you should contact an attorney or mental health professional for more information.
Here are some additional resources that may be helpful:
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Virginia: https://www.namivirginia.org/
- Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services: https://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/
- Virginia Indigent Defense Commission: https://www.vadefenders.org/
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I’m in FL. I was told the same thing. Getting arrested gets them help. It’s been a year and nothing. I can say they ordered a psych evaluation and they baker acted him in jail. That was all the help. In this situation you have to help your loved one as much as you can.
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Thank You all for your support and feedback. UPDATE She was transferred to the Central State for competency which she was found not and currently housed in Central State , she is only 21 and housed with some real serious cases of mental health well over her age 30+ male and females. She is finally back to her normal day to day mindset however i can not get her out. I will check out the resources you all provided.
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Feeling your pain. 27 year old son evaluated incompetent in Jan 2022 - put on waitlist for state hospital but released after 6 months for time served. Arrested less than month later - held for 5 months then dropped charges. Arrested for felony on Jan 3, 2023 and finally put on waitlist (again) on June 23, 2023. Have no idea why took so long to rejoin waitlist - I called monthly to remind them that he was not on waitlist. Only contact is thru jail email. Don’t hear from him much. Have no idea how he’s doing. This system SUCKS. We’re in TX. Treatment of the mentally ill in the US in inhumane, in my opinion AND MUST CHANGE. Sorry for what you and your daughter are going thru. It definitely tries your own sanity.
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Its horrible, I believe everywhere, my son is also now in jail, hoping he
will get some mental health forced on him, but know from past
they say they get the meds, but dont.
His lawyer is having a mental health exam, and in meantime he is in jail.
If the doctor wouldnt have messed up his medicines, he could have
avoided this. The doctor didnt even read the diagnosis and get the
past medical records for schitzophreni< and just put him on prozac, until he spiralled until he was dangerous.
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