No help for for my grandson

My Grandson is 22 and is paranoid schizophrenia. He is sitting in jail now for spitting on his Mother. He refused to go to hospital. I want to know if anybody else has this problem. We can not get him help. He is dangerous and the mental health clinics only keep him 3 days and then release him. We can not find long term help. We are low income and can’t afford to pay. He will be released in a week. They say they have no choice but to let him walk out of the jail. He is threatening to kill all of us. He doesn’t recognize us. Him mind is completely gone. He refuses medicines because he says they are poisoned. We have called state hospitals and no one will take him. I don’t know how much longer I can hang on. I can’t even see him. Anybody have any ideas. Thank you

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What state are you in?

Have you looked to see if your county or city has a mental health department? I would start there and see what they recommend. Here, they also include the local crisis line and can do involuntary holds from their offices. Since it’s government ran, they usually charge based on your income. For example, my son’s appt’s would be under $2 if he was uninsured.

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He really needs a longer hospitalization. Sadly, your grandson is in a very common situation for people with severe mental illness. He does not know how ill he is and he cannot get help on his own.

That said, there are laws in each state to treat people involuntarily. As @slw wrote, your county may have a crisis line. Call them. Tell them everything. See if there are possibilities.

We went through similar; our family member is currently in a county program for court-ordered treatment and doing fine.

If you let us know which state and county you are in, we will look things up that are hopefully similar to programs that work in our states.

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Need a Court order for Involuntarily treatment. Call the police or County mental hospital or State Mental hospital and they will direct you to call the Involuntarily treatment officer in your City.

I am dealing with a Son who is 25 years of age and has been diagnosis with the same illness. He was in Hospital for 3 weeks in California and his public defender just helped him to be discharged even though I had requested from Doctor and Social worker to Conserve him. they ignored me. He was discharged 2 days ago he is now back on streets and not taking his medicine.
he has a Bench warrant and he did not appear in court end of August.He just get into custody.
I have been communicating with District Attorney where his court is? DA attorney and his public defender spoke to Judge the plan to get to court and hopefully admit him to long term Hospitalization.

It is so sad that he miles and miles away from me and cannot see him.

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We are in Noble County in Albion In. We have called everywhere. Even emergency hotlines. They will keep him for around 3 days then release him. Everybody tells us that there are no beds or they can’t help and just take him to the hospital. We don’t know where to turn now. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you

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Susie - I’m sorry for what you are experiencing.
The threats that your grandson has made against you, do you have any proof of those threats or have they all been verbal? I’m asking because it some cases it can be very important for you to involve a third party
Is this the crisis line you have been trying to contact?:
http://www.necmh.org/services/emergency-solutions/

Northeastern is the resource I found too.

It sounds like, @Susie, your family has done everything you can do for him in your area. I will try to keep looking around.

Is there NAMI anywhere near your general area: Find Your Local NAMI | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

The one thing you could possibly do is speak with his current lawyer and even the prosecutor to request that he be released conditionally with the requirement that he receives treatment for his mental illness and/ or possibly a no contact order for the people he is threatening.

According to this, http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/mental-health-commitment-laws-2014/state-grades/indiana, a family member should be able to petition the court directly for involuntary inpatient commitment. Where we live, we can do the same thing and it’s through the prosecutor’s office.

I am so sorry you and your family are going through this.

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How are things going? Are you doing okay?

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They have now put my grandson in jail for pushing his mother. He has been in there for over two months and they will not tell us anything about his condition because we are not his guardians. He’s 22 years old so they will not give us no information on how he is doing. I don’t think he even knows who is anymore how we are and he seems to be getting worse while he is in there. He does I not write nor call anybody. We have tried to talk to the prosecutor to try to get help to send him somewhere so we’re now we’re just waiting.

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Have you sent your grandson any mail in jail? He can receive mail. Sometimes books, depending on the jail.

I hope he can get help.

Here are some ideas: http://www.schizophrenia.com/pdfs/arrested.pdf

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Susie, Have you thought about applying for temporary emergency guardianship?

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We don’t have the money to hire a attorney and he is still sitting in jail because they don’t know what to do with him. I have begged the courts to send him to a mental hospital and they just tell us they don’t have beds. I have been writing him but no answer. The courts won’t let us know how he is or see him. I have not seen him since October. I am worried sick because I don’t know how he is doing and they won’t tell us anything because he is over 18. I won’t even know if they release him. I mean they can’t keep him forever. They will have to release him sometime. I am so scared for himvg

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His lawyer will not speak with us. We also tried to talk to the judge and prosecutors and they will not talk to us because he is over 21. We are just stuck because they don’t care. They even told me he will probably end up in prison unless I can pay for a place for him which they know I can’t.

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We have called all crisis lines and Northeastern Center and no help whatsoever. They just tell us to call the police on him. Wow he is already in jail. We just want help to get him a bed.

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Susie, have you thought about applying for guardianship? You could even apply for it on a temporary emergency basis.

Guardianship would give you access to him and full knowledge of what is going on.

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You don’t necessarily need an attorney, you are in the US correct? Get yourself in front of a judge and ask.

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I had to fill out paperwork at the local clerk office and they set a trial date. Basically, you have to prove that your son cannot take care of himself or money. Does your son have a history of hospitalizations or trouble with the law? Can you document this so that when you get in front of a judge you are as reasonable and rational and prepared as possible.

My son was hospitalized but his attorney went to the hospital to interview him. His delusions were such that the attorney said they felt he could not be in charge of his own money. Breathe and know this can be accomplished but it will take every ounce of nerve.

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We have ask the judge and he doesn’t do anything. We are in a very small town and I really believe they don’t care.

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The judge says we can’t do anything because he is over 21. I have ask the judge for guardianship but my grandson says no

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I have called the crisis line here and they say he has to want help and the only thing to do is have him arrested.

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