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

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By phone, call 530-668-5245 - you will get a phone tree.

• press 1 or 2 for language
• press 1 for list of options
• press 7 for medical

On Monday thru Friday, 8:00 - 4:00, a clerk is available to answer the phone in the medical unit. At other times there may not be a staff person in the office as they are out with patients. Request to speak with a member of the CFMG psychiatric services staff or leave a detailed voice message if staff are not available.

See the Information sheet to help organize medical and psychiatric information. Include:

• your relative’s full legal name and date of birth
• mental illness diagnosis
  • psychiatrist’s name, phone number, and address
  • current medications - name, dosage, and time of day to be administered
  • name and location of the pharmacy that dispensed these medications
  • history of negative experiences with medications
  • history of alcohol or other substance abuse
  • history of suicide attempts/threats or other violent intentions in the recent past, briefly describing the events and when they occurred
  • history of (or potential for) victimization by other inmates.
• other medical conditions that might require immediate attention, (e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure, seizures. . . . ) and medications currently prescribed for those conditions.
• medical doctor’s name, address, and phone

Do NOT address any impending charges against your family member in this communication. Medical information only! Keep a copy of this information for future use.

The medical information you provide is tremendously valuable in making an assessment and will help the mental health staff select the best treatment for your relative. There is a clear preference for maintaining effective current treatment.  However, the CFMG psychiatric services staff will conduct an assessment of your relative’s current condition and may not necessarily prescribe exactly the same medications.

Step 4: ALTERNATIVES TO SENTENCING

The Alternatives to Incarceration (AIM) and the Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction (MIOCR) grants awarded to Yolo County have been designed to provide alternatives to incarceration for non-violent mentally ill offenders. Offenders receive intervention treatment from a team of providers. To be eligible for these programs an individual age 18 or older must be a Yolo County resident arrested and booked in Yolo County after June 30, 2006.  

Generally referrals come from the Court, county jail,  the Yolo County Department of Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health, Public Defender, District Attorney, and Probation. However referrals will be taken from any source. To make a referral, contact the Adult Forensics Coordinator, at 530-666-8347. Note, these programs are grant funded and subject to change. 

Yolo County Proposition 36 is the county’s version of the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000. The program is collaboration between the Yolo County Department of Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health and the Probation Department and is designed to assist non-violent drug offenders to overcome addiction. The program offers the participant appropriate drug and alcohol treatment, as well as, formal probation supervision. Consumers will be assigned to participate in the programs at Beamer Street, Communi-Care, Walter’s House, Cache Creek or River City Recovery. The goal is to treat drug addiction, rather than incarcerate. Referrals cannot be made directly to this program; the Court orders individuals to this program. If you feel that your loved one may be eligible and interested in participating, work with your loved one’s attorney.  Note that the participant is required to share in the cost. The fee scale is based on the Federal Poverty Level for 2006. 

Step 5: DECIDING ON LEGAL REPRESENTATION

Your family member may want to retain a private attorney or use the Public Defenders Office. A public defender will be assigned at arraignment if your relative does not have or cannot afford a private  attorney. Do not hesitate to use a public defender. Public defenders are more familiar with the court processes, the judges and district attorney’s, often have frequent first hand experience with defendants  who have a mental illness than most private attorneys, and will  therefore be very likely to know what legal and treatment options are available to them. If your family member decides to retain a private attorney, be sure to select one that is well versed in helping people with mental illness and understands how to access the treatment facilities and mental health services that are available.

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. However, you must ask yourself the following question. Will your family member be able to comply with the terms of the bail and appear in court when required?

WORKING WITH AN ATTORNEY: Public Defenders (PDs) are extremely busy and do not have much time to take or return phone calls. Often PDs will not know that they have been assigned to a particular individual’s case until very shortly before a first court appearance. Do not assume that the initial court file has any reference to your family member’s mental illness in it.

If a public defender (PD)has not been assigned or you can’t obtain that information, it is still important to share the written medical history information that you also have provided to CFMG.  The only reliable way to do this is to plan to attend the first court hearing if you are able and to deliver your written document to the PD. Arrive early. Bailiffs (Sheriff’s Deputies assigned to a particular court room) can assist you in passing along written information to PDs, and even having a brief word immediately before hearings.

PDs appreciate written or faxed correspondence. Remember, it is the inmate, not you, who is his client. A private attorney will grant you more time, but remember you are paying for that access. Provide the attorney with an extensive medical/psychiatric/social/educational history of your family member in writing. is information will be very useful in pursuing the best outcome for your loved one.  

Public Defender: Yolo County Public Defender's Office
814 North Street; Woodland CA  95695
Phone: (530) 666-8165
FAX:    (530) 666-8405

SPECIAL NOTE:  After business hours and on weekends, the Public Defender's Office regular telephone number (530-666-8165) switches to an automated system that offers an additional menu option to reach an attorney on urgent matters (e.g. people subject to being interrogated or asked to participate in a lineup). Please do not use this after-hours option for routine questions that should be asked on the next business day. It is important to limit use of this option to very urgent purposes, such as interrogations or lineups. In other words, before connecting to an attorney in the middle of the night -- or on the weekend -- folks should carefully consider whether or not an attorney would be able to help the situation when the courts are closed.

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS AND INFORMATION

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

NAMI-Yolo:
Phone:   530-756-8181
Email:   friends@namiyolo.org
Website: www.namiyolo.org

This document was last updated November 30, 2007. If any of this information is inaccurate or in need of updates, please send your feedback to friends@namiyolo.org