My Family Member Has Been Arrested - What Do I Do?

A guide to help families when a family member who suffers from a serious mental illness is arrested.

STEP ONE: SUPPORT YOUR RELATIVE

• If your family member calls you and says that he/she has been arrested, help him/her stay calm and offer your help and support.
   
• If your family member/friend is being held in the county jail (Santa Rita Jail [SRJ] or Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility [GEDDF]), remind him/her of the right to have an attorney present if being questioned by police officers or detectives.
   
• At the county jail (SRJ or GEDDF), your family member/friend will be screened for mental illness and other health concerns. It is very important that your relative be direct and honest during this screening process. Assure your family member that it is okay to discuss his/her physical and mental conditions, diagnoses, medications, etc., with the medical staff conducting the screening. It is important that your family member feels safe to speak openly with the mental health screeners so that treatment needs can be best addressed.
   
• If it is determined that your relative needs a more thorough mental health assessment, he/she will be seen by mental health staff (Criminal Justice Mental Health [CJMH]) either the same day in the booking area of the jail or later, depending upon urgency. Due to the high volume of inmates booked into the county jails, it is necessary for each person to be triaged based on the severity of their conditions. Scheduling assessments is done on a priority basis.
   
• Anyone booked into GEDDF in Oakland who needs mental health services will be transferred to SRJ in Dublin.
   

STEP TWO: CONTACT THE JAIL

• To find out if your relative is in jail, you can use the Inmate Locator link by going to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office website (http://alamedacountysheriff.org). Click on “Inmate Locator” button. While there, you may also get information about the jail, mailing address, visiting hours, and frequently asked questions.
   
• TIP:  Inmates are sometimes booked with/without middle name. If you are unable to locate your family member/friend using the Inmate Locator tool, try other names your relative may have used.
   
• Call the jail mental health (CJMH) intake unit 925-551-6905. Inform the staff or leave a message that your family member suffers from a serious mental illness.
  
  
  • Describe the diagnosis and any other concerns you might have.
  
  
  
  • Inquire as to your relative’s status and estimated length of stay at this facility.
  
  
  
  • Ask if he/she is expected to be released directly from the jail. This sometimes occurs for minor offenses.
  
  
  
  • If he/she is going to be released directly from the jail ask for the time and place, so you can be there to provide transportation. Keep in mind the time and place of release may not be known.
  
  
  
  • If your relative is severely ill, ask if the Sheriff’s Office can arrange to have him/her sent to a psychiatric hospital for a “5150” involuntary three-day hold for evaluation and treatment.
   
• Medication may not be accessible until your relative is moved to a housing unit, but you might inquire if the intake unit (ITR) medical staff can obtain needed medication.
   
• Inquire as to your family member’s location (housing unit and pod number) and, most importantly, his/her booking number (PFN).
   
• You can obtain visiting information by going online to
  (SRJ): http://www.alamedacountysheriff.org/DC/srj_info.htm#VISITING or
  (GDJ): http://alamedacountysheriff.org/DC/gdj_info.htm#VISITING
   
• TIP: When visiting the jail, always bring a few quarters for a locker to store your personal belongings while you visit your family member. Photo ID is required for visiting.

STEP THREE: SEND A FAX

• Click on the Inmate Mental Health Information Form, English Version or Spanish Version, on the Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services www.acbhcs.org/jail/jail.htm website. Print, complete, and fax the online form as instructed.
   
  • Remember, the medical information you provide is very helpful in assisting the mental health staff in making an assessment and selecting the best treatment for your relative while he/she is in custody. Continuity of care is important; however, the jail mental health staff must conduct its own assessment of your relative’s condition and may not necessarily prescribe exactly the same medications. For safety reasons, some psychiatric medications cannot be used in the jail.
     
  • Be sure to provide your contact information and sign the form on the signature line. Forms that do not contain your contact information and/or are missing a signature will not be considered valid.
     
  • On the fax cover page, indicate whether your relative has provided you with a written confidentiality waiver or medical power of attorney. If your relative has not previously done so, ask that he/she be asked to sign one while in jail. The jail mental health staff is prohibited by law from giving information about a client’s status unless they have the client’s written consent, but the staff can receive information from relatives or friends without the client’s consent.
     
  • IMPORTANT: Do NOT address any impending charges against your family member in this fax. This is for medical information only!
  
   
• Once your relative has been booked, fax the Inmate Mental Health Information Form to the number below. Faxes can be sent 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Mental Health Services (CJMH) fax number: 
ITR (CJMH intake/booking) 925-551-6504

STEP FOUR: FAMILY ADVOCATE 

If you have any difficulty with this process you can contact the following resources that are specifically available to assist families who have relatives with serious mental illnesses:

• The Mental Health Association Family Caregiver Advocate Program at 510-835-0188 or 510-835-5010 and www.mhaac.org.
   
• The Behavioral Health Care Services Family Relations Manager at 510-567-8037
   
• The Family Resource and Education Center (FERC) at 888-869-FERC (3372). www.askferc.org

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

Bail: Think carefully about posting bail for your family member. No one wants a loved one to remain incarcerated for any length of time. It is an unpleasant experience for them as well as the family. You must, however, ask yourself if your family member will be able to comply with the terms of the bail and appear in court when required. Also, as hard as it may seem, jail may be a safer place for a person with severe mental illness and is in crisis rather than having your loved one wander the streets with no help at all. In jail, they will be fed, have shelter, and be given access to medication, and treatment.

Working with an attorney: If your relative will be represented in court by a public defender, call the Public Defender’s office at the court where the case is being heard. Ask for the name and phone number of the attorney who will be handling the case. If you do not reach the attorney, be sure to leave a message requesting a return call. Include the following information: Your name, phone number, your family member’s name and, if possible, their booking number (PFN), court docket number and court date. Due to attorney-client confidentiality, there may be information the attorney cannot share with you. Remember, it is your family member, not you, who is the attorney’s client.

Inform the attorney of your family member’s condition and any information that may be beneficial to the case. Provide the attorney with an extensive written medical/psychiatric/social/educational history of your family member. Include hospitalization, diagnosis information, medication treatment, and the contact information of doctors/clinicians and facilities that have treated your family member. This information will be very useful in pursuing the best outcome for your loved one. Attorneys are extremely busy and many will appreciate written or faxed correspondence.

Public Defenders’ Offices in Alameda County:
Oakland 510-272-6600
Hayward 510-670-5000
Fremont 510-795-2600
Pleasanton 925-551-6863

Supporting and coping with a loved one who suffers from a mental illness can be extremely challenging and stressful. Knowledge, as well as your love and fortitude, will be essential in helping you to become a strong and effective support system for your family member. For information about support groups and educational programs provided free of charge in your area, contact any of the numbers listed in Step Four or contact NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, at 213-632-0782 or on the internet at www.namicalifornia.org. 

Note: This informational guide was adapted from a document from the Behavioral Health Care Services (BHCS) website and a document written by NAMI volunteers, based on their personal experience, to help families navigate the system, and edited for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. We are not attorneys, and this is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice. Please assist your family member in obtaining proper legal representation.
Updated April 16, 2008 
NAMI Los Angeles Criminal Justice Committee

Edited April 28, 2010, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.