I've called all of the referrals people are sending — even the Prison Law Office. I wrote them a letter and Travis wrote them but they couldn't help him. I can't find help. Even NAMI could not help with anything. I called them before he committed his mental illness crime and after. I even paid an advocate 1500 dollars to help my son and got no help for the money.
Below is a letter which is typical of the responses I receive. I've been turned down or not been responded to by more than 50 lawyers and advocacy groups including Mental Health America, National Institutes of Corrections in the Department of Justice, The Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights, California Innocence Project, Justice Solutions of America, Solitary Watch, and Treatment Advocacy Center. I could name more. So where do I go from here?
2/1/18
Dear Kathy,
We received Travis’s letter today giving us consent to speak with you on his behalf. I presented your questions to our attorneys for review, but unfortunately our organization will not be able to accept your son’s case. We do not have the resources to advocate for him directly at this time.
I recommend that you try to contact the Prison Law Office again after Travis has written them a letter himself. I have also attached a referral list for criminal law attorneys and civil rights attorneys in both Sacramento and the Bay Area.
Please keep in mind that Travis will need to contact attorneys and give his permission to speak with you on his behalf whenever you contact an attorney to seek representation. Because Travis is the potential client, you do not have authority to seek counsel for him unless he contacts the attorney.
We are closing your file on this issue and will not take further action on your behalf. If you have questions in the future about a new legal issue, you can contact our Short Term Assistance Line at 1-800-776-5746.
You have the right to file a grievance if you are unhappy with this decision. A copy of our grievance policy and form can be found on our website at http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/connect/507401.pdf.
We would like to know what you thought of our services. Please consider filling out a client satisfaction survey, available at this link: www.disabilityrightsca.org/ClientSurvey.
I wish you the best as you continue with the advocacy process. Please feel free to contact Disability Rights California again in the future should you need assistance with a new disability related legal issue.
The reason I'm fighting so hard to help my son is because, when I saw him for the first time on December 4, 2017, he'd been at California Health Care Facility (CHCF) since November 8 with no mail, no pen, no paper, no TV, no radio, and no books. He was just staring and banging on walls. He was crying for me to pray for Satan to leave him alone.
As he stared at me, he picked hairs from his long beard and ate them. He said, "Mom, I would rather be in the SHU (solitary housing unit) at Men's Colony. Ask anyone how horrific the SHU is and he would rather be there. That's what CHCF was doing to my son. He was vibrant and alive on lithium when he was sent to Men's Colony.
See the previous post 2/3/18: Letters from Solitary Confinement by Kathy Baker and Travis Christian