Denying Meds

fiestynurse · Dec 24, 2004

Inmates are not denied medically necessary medications when they are incarcerated. However, sometimes when inmates are incarcerated and have a substance abuse issue along with an underlying mental health issue, they go through a detox process or "wash out" period. This way the Psychiatrist can adequately assess the inmates mental health symptoms and treat him or her with the appropriate medication. The jails and prisons have become the new mental health facilities in this country and inmates that have mental health issues are sometimes difficult to assess and treat in this environment. Mental Health Practitioners try to obtain old medical records to confirm past symptoms, diagnosis and treatments. I think they do a pretty darn good job!

Injections for schizophrenia? Incarcerated again for the same offense? I don't think that you are being told the whole truth regarding your "sweet neighbor." Would he have still been so sweet if he had killed someone while drinking and driving? Alcohol is a depressant and the risk of suicide is greater for newly or soon to be incarcerated individuals. Maybe he was looking at more time behind bars because this was a repeat offense. The fear, shame, and guilt can be overwhelming.

stephera · Dec 24, 2004

Very wrong!! My brother was in jail and they didn't give his meds (yes, for the same thing -schitz) until my mom made a complaint and then they didn't have a nurse on weekends to give it to him which is kind of bad on him. So he only got it during the week. A very sad situation....

I have recently spoke to a nurse who works in a detention center. I was surprised to find that if you become arrested you can be denied your medication, even if it is something you cannot just d/c like Paxil. The nurse I spoke to said it's just that way; I have a difficult time accepting that answer.
My very sweet next-door neighbor was arrested for drinking and driving -- he was on injections for schizophrenia -- he committed suicide, due to the fact he was going to jail and would be denied his injections (like he has in the past for same offense). I'm really concerned, even if these people have broken the law.
Has anyone heard of this before?? And can anyone explain why this is???
Thanks in advance =)

stephera · Dec 24, 2004

Schitzophrenia is a very sad situation and yes these people are sweet underneath their problem. Instead of jails becoming mental health housing, they should send them off for real help instead of making criminals out of them!!!!!! My hometown just had a suicide with the same problem. My brother and friend just seen him one week before and he was trying to get his life straight. He was on probation and having the same problems that my brother is going through (schitz). He was a very good person and everyone liked him. I am really angry at the system because my brother is getting worse and worse and they do not want to send him off anywhere, they just want to make money off of him!! It is pretty sad that people are so money hungry and they are making most of it off of people with mental issues.

Faith Nurse · Dec 24, 2004

Inmates are not denied medically necessary medications when they are incarcerated. However, sometimes when inmates are incarcerated and have a substance abuse issue along with an underlying mental health issue, they go through a detox process or "wash out" period. This way the Psychiatrist can adequately assess the inmates mental health symptoms and treat him or her with the appropriate medication. The jails and prisons have become the new mental health facilities in this country and inmates that have mental health issues are sometimes difficult to assess and treat in this environment. Mental Health Practitioners try to obtain old medical records to confirm past symptoms, diagnosis and treatments. I think they do a pretty darn good job!
Injections for schizophrenia? Incarcerated again for the same offense? I don't think that you are being told the whole truth regarding your "sweet neighbor." Would he have still been so sweet if he had killed someone while drinking and driving? Alcohol is a depressant and the risk of suicide is greater for newly or soon to be incarcerated individuals. Maybe he was looking at more time behind bars because this was a repeat offense. The fear, shame, and guilt can be overwhelming.

I implying he was a saint, and I do not condoning drinking and driving (I wish alcohol was illegal). Yet, this was a person I grew up with as a child, and I knew had a good heart. However, for him to commit suicide wasn't the answer either and I wish it never happened.

Thank you for clairifying the "system;" His death has bothered me for some time. :)

fiestynurse · Dec 24, 2004

"Instead of jails becoming mental health housing, they should send them off for real help instead of making criminals out of them!!!!!!" - Stephera, I couldn't agree with you more. However, a lot of the mental health housing has been shut down due to lack of funding over the years. There is simply no other place to put the severely mentally ill, but into the jails and prisons. And that is certainly not where they belong. How are they making money off of the mentally ill? Taking care of the mentally ill is very expensive and most facilities are being drained of money because they have to care for the huge mentally ill population. The new drugs for schizophrenia are the most expensive drugs on the market. (They are as expensive as HIV drugs, however HIV patients can get their drugs for free through ADAP programs - There is nothing like that for the mentally ill) Maybe, the drug companies need to lower prices, so people can have access to these meds. Yes, It would be appropriate to be Mad at the drug companies - Mad at this dysfunctional healthcare system - Mad at the politicians that don't do anything to fix it - Mad at the general public who just want the mentally ill out of site and out of mind.

Stephera - It is a very difficult and complex issue. Families call the jail often wondering why their loved ones have not been given their meds. And information that we get from families is very helpful in treatment. What families don't know is that many times the inmate has not been taking their meds for some time and they have been using alcohol or illegal drugs to treat their illness. That is usually why they have landed back in jail. We can't discuss some of these things due to confidentiality laws. These inmates are adults and many do not want their mothers, sisters, or wives to know certain things about their behavior. He may be telling you one thing, but presenting the Correctional Healthcare Practitioners with something totally different. It is important to allow for time for the Psychiatrist to come in and adequately assess the inmate and allow for time to get the old medical records. The medications that he was prescribed on the outside may not be appropriate for him. We can sometimes treat their illness better than the outside Physician because the individual is in a confined situation where we can observe their behavior and symptoms.

stephera · Dec 24, 2004

I understand every thing you are saying, I am just mad because there would be a lot less criminals if they were locked up getting the right treatment instead of having a crisis all the time and the county pressing charges for things they tear up or break. They just want to make money off of them!! Is this really legal if it happens in your own home, can the county press charges for a mental person breaking a window out of his own home?

"Instead of jails becoming mental health housing, they should send them off for real help instead of making criminals out of them!!!!!!" - Stephera, I couldn't agree with you more. However, a lot of the mental health housing has been shut down due to lack of funding over the years. There is simply no other place to put the severely mentally ill, but into the jails and prisons. And that is certainly not where they belong. How are they making money off of the mentally ill? Taking care of the mentally ill is very expensive and most facilities are being drained of money because they have to care for the huge mentally ill population. The new drugs for schizophrenia are the most expensive drugs on the market. (They are as expensive as HIV drugs, however HIV patients can get their drugs for free through ADAP programs - There is nothing like that for the mentally ill) Maybe, the drug companies need to lower prices, so people can have access to these meds. Yes, It would be appropriate to be Mad at the drug companies - Mad at this dysfunctional healthcare system - Mad at the politicians that don't do anything to fix it - Mad at the general public who just want the mentally ill out of site and out of mind.
Stephera - It is a very difficult and complex issue. Families call the jail often wondering why their loved ones have not been given their meds. And information that we get from families is very helpful in treatment. What families don't know is that many times the inmate has not been taking their meds for some time and they have been using alcohol or illegal drugs to treat their illness. That is usually why they have landed back in jail. We can't discuss some of these things due to confidentiality laws. These inmates are adults and many do not want their mothers, sisters, or wives to know certain things about their behavior. He may be telling you one thing, but presenting the Correctional Healthcare Practitioners with something totally different. It is important to allow for time for the Psychiatrist to come in and adequately assess the inmate and allow for time to get the old medical records. The medications that he was prescribed on the outside may not be appropriate for him. We can sometimes treat their illness better than the outside Physician because the individual is in a confined situation where we can observe their behavior and symptoms.

donmurray · Dec 24, 2004

Schizophrenic people present a far greater risk to themselves than they do to the public, and the suicide rate is higher for those with the diagnosis. Unsure if the stats were similar for UK & US, I googled and found schizophrenia.com

" Suicide is unfortunately the number one cause of death for people with schizophrenia - but it is highly preventable! Upwards of 40% of people that have schizophrenia will attempt suicide at least once. Males with schizophrenia attempt suicide at a much higher rate than females; approximiately 60% of them will make at least one attempt. The result of these attempts is that between 10% and 15% of people with schizophrenia have historically committed suicide....

Particular times that people with schizophrenia tend to be suicidal include

1) Periods when they are very psychotic and out of touch with reality,

2) Periods when they are very depressed,

3) In the first 6 to 9 months after they have started first taking medications, when they are thinking more clearly and learn that the they have schizophrenia (and all the negative aspects that this connotates)."

Almost by definition, the mentally ill tend not to fit into society, and come up against the law sooner or later. there is some work being done in the UK around "Diversion" where a mentally ill person gets "diverted" into hospital rather than prison, for minor offences.

It seems to me more like a problem of an overwhelmed system rather than an active policy of undermining the ill.

fiestynurse · Dec 24, 2004

Many communities have developed programs for the mentally ill to keep them out of the jails. They have special "mental health courts," with judges who are educated and sympathetic to the problems of the mentally ill. The local police departments have developed supportive programs and trained officers to assist the mentally ill when they act out. Efforts are being made to get them into outpatient treatment, rather than throw them into the jails. It's just such a huge problem.

The suicide info was very helpful donmurray - Thanks.

unknown99, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2004

My brother, who has had IDDM for years, was recently incarcerated. He was not given his insulin for 4 days. He was taken to the E.R. from the jail, in a coma. He had a blood sugar of over 750. He was stable prior to that because he watched his diet, checked his sugar, and took his insulin like he was suppose to.

Now, he has Renal Failure because of it. And his IDDM is very brittle now.

The kicker is, his wife even offered to bring in his insulin and needles and accucheck monitor so that he could be stable, and the jailors denied it.

Yes, there is a pending lawsuit over it!

Faith Nurse · Dec 25, 2004

My brother, who has had IDDM for years, was recently incarcerated. He was not given his insulin for 4 days. He was taken to the E.R. from the jail, in a coma. He had a blood sugar of over 750. He was stable prior to that because he watched his diet, checked his sugar, and took his insulin like he was suppose to.
Now, he has Renal Failure because of it. And his IDDM is very brittle now.
The kicker is, his wife even offered to bring in his insulin and needles and accucheck monitor so that he could be stable, and the jailors denied it.
Yes, there is a pending lawsuit over it!

I'm so sorry for your brother kidney failure, is there any thing the doctors can do? Or plan to do?

I will keep your family in my prayers. God Bless.

fiestynurse · Jan 9, 2005

Sagarcia- It is very unfortunate what happened to your brother and I hope that he will be o.k. Most facilities carefully screen inmates as they enter the system and identify diabetics early and get them the necessary treatment. Insulin is given, blood sugars are checked at least twice a day, and they are put on diabetic diets. The doctors generally see these inmates on a regular basis. Blood sugars are reviewed and insulin adjusted accordingly. There is no need for family members to bring in insulin, needles, and accucheck machines. All this should be supplied and taken care of in the jail. I don't know what went wrong in your brother's case. This is certainly not the norm.

If your brother had a history of alcohol and drug abuse (I don't know what he was in jail for, but I suspect that it was alcohol or drug related) this will make it more difficult to control your brother's diabetes, especially if he starts to go through withdrawals. Diabetes combined with alcohol and drug abuse will increase the potential for liver and kidney damage.

In addition, we occasionaly get brittle diabetics that will play games with their sugars in order to get attention or get out of jail. I am not saying that this was the case with your brother, but I have seen diabetic inmates purposely eat high sugar foods that they have obtained from the commissary or from other inmates just to make their their sugars go out of control. It can be very difficult to manage these patients when they won't comply with the treatment program.