Description
Here is list of first steps to take to advocate for your loved one’s safety and health.*
1. Hand deliver, fax or email a letter asking for your loved one to be screened for placement in a mental health unit and/or examined by the provider of psychiatric services.
2. Inform the person’s psychiatrist, case manager, or other service provider on the outside that he or she is in jail, and ask them to contact the jail regarding treatment plan.
3. Call jail medical staff or administrator to follow up about the mental health history, and politely stress the importance of what medications and continued treatment your loved one needs. You may be told they can’t talk to you due to privacy laws/HIPPA. In that case, see our page about how to get a medical release.
4. Look for Mental Health Courts in your area by searching on your county’s website. If a mental health court is available, let the attorney know that you would like the case brought before this court.
5. Contact your Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA). Search for the LMHA closest to the jail on this list. A 24 hour referral line is available specific to your location. LMHAs sometimes offer pre-trial services.
6. If your loved one is not receiving the treatment needed, or is experiencing neglect or abuse, fill out a complaint with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. More information on filing complaints can be found here.
*Thank you to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Schizophrenia.com.
Texas Jail Project has more information on the front page about people who are found incompetent to stand trail. Or click on How to File A Writ of Habeas Corpus In Incompetency Cases
- Our Checklist of Intervention Strategies to Help Persons with Mental Illness in County Jails
- Understanding Mental Health Systems and Services in Texas (4th ed. 2018) – Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
- List of Local Mental Health Centers
- Patient’s Bill of Rights
- Sandra Bland Act–article on how it works
Leave a phone message for us at (512) 469-7665 or email us at [email protected] if you believe your loved one is not receiving proper medical care and/or nutrition, or if you have questions about navigating the justice system. Also you can directly complain to the Jail Commission. Our website has info and a link to the online form where you can report concerns and complaints.
If you yourself have experienced mental health issues while in a county jail, Texas Jail Project wants to know about the conditions and any problems you might have had or observed.
We know that some people don’t know where to report the problems and others who are afraid to report. We are glad to listen and will also tell your story, if you grant us permission. We can also record what happened without your name being involved. Also, please let us know about any jail where a pregnant woman receives good health care and is treated well!