The crazyhouse. The nuthouse. The mental institution. The insane asylum. Somewhere nobody wants to be. Trapped in a room, drugged, and kept by order of the court. In the name of justice. They decide if you belong there or not.
Do you believe in this practice? Well, guess what, motherfucker, it is not up to you. I, myself, have never been adjudicated mentally deficient, oddly. However, this sort of thing happens fairly often. The state has the ultimate authority, of course, and can decide to commit someone to a mental hospital, ostensibly for their own good and the good of society.
There are many reasons one can end up there. Most involve prior crimes or unstable behavior. Are they really helping? What good does this do? How does one end up in the nuthouse? How easy is it to leave? Is this some "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" shit? I decided to find out.
As stated, I've never been through such a proceeding. I've not been involuntarily committed—or voluntarily, for that matter. I had to consult someone who had been run through this particular ringer, and I found them willing to discuss it. A professional associate and dear friend, whom I have known for decades, was done dirty by the system which was put in place to help her and ended up in, well, the crazyhouse. That is to say, the State Hospital. I asked her opinions on the state of things and sent questions to her. These are her answers.
"I currently have a qualifying mental health diagnosis and charges against me, which allowed me to be an eligible candidate for ORS 161.370 to be applied to me in a court of law. A person who is sent to the Oregon State Hospital under ORS 161.370 must be in custody in order to be admitted to the Hospital. A psychiatric evaluation in jail deemed me unable to "aid and assist" in my court proceedings, and I was sent to the Oregon State Hospital for medical mental health treatment and a second evaluation."
So, she went to the crazyhouse because of pending charges, and I don't think they involved cell phone cables.
“The reason I was ordered back to my respective county is a question of greater concern. I was ordered back early because I was heavily medicated on an antipsychotic that made it difficult to process and respond to normal conversations. I was unable to attend internet hearings with the mental health judge because of the high dose of antipsychotics I was prescribed.
The psychiatrist, before I was ordered discharged from the Oregon State Hospital to be sent back to the county jail, said that she put into my medical records that the dose of antipsychotic medication prescribed to me was "intolerable." Upon my discharge from the Hospital, the psychiatrist lowered my dose of the antipsychotic but did not remove it from my prescriptions (even though it was only prescribed to me as part of an OSH "safety plan")."
Okay, so she got locked up in the crazyhouse, drugged to the gills, and was sent back to jail anyhow. The fuck? Pick one, ya know?
"I was only kept at the OSH for about two months, which is just a month shy from the usual three months that a person is admitted to the OSH under the Mosman Order.* This is a relatively new order. That makes me a "370 OG." How long does that last?
The first time I was sentenced to the OSH, I was brought back to the county jail after spending three months at the OSH and had completed the second psychiatric evaluation—in person—at the Oregon State Hospital. After spending a night in jail, I had my day in court. My charges were dismissed."
I'm glad the judge's order was adhered to, but why does his name make me think of the mothman from West Virginia? I hope he was, in fact, not a hideous creature for the night in disguise, but even if he was, good on him, I guess.
"Medication, access to a fitness room, and occupational therapy. An occupational therapist can assign you a weighted blanket, give you a Warmies™ doll that can be heated up in the microwave, and make you custom aromatherapy lotions and oils."
Aroma-fucking-therapy? In the crazyhouse?
It sounds like a fuckin' spa, where they also happen to drug you up because reasons of craziness. Dunno if that makes for a pleasant existence or not, but it would seem like it's not all that fun.
"Without consulting my court-appointed attorney or case manager for confirmation, I believe the criteria for my release from the county jail into the Mental Health Court's community restoration, "Aid and Assist," Forensic Diversion program, was considered on that the charge(s) against me are non-violent, and that I am not a threat to myself or others. It is my understanding that the prosecution had to agree to my admittance into whatever county mental health program I'm in.
I had to be willing to actively participate in the Mental Health Court's community restoration program, and my case manager had to find an appropriate placement in the community for me. Which meant my case manager had to find housing for me. Waiting for placement, I sat in jail for about two weeks.
To actively participate in the county program, I have to continue to take my psychiatrist-prescribed medication, have regular meetings with my case manager, refrain from using drugs or alcohol, including marijuana, avoid getting new charges, and not violate the conditions of my release. I have to check in with the mental health court once a month. For some participants, it's every couple of weeks. I was required to participate in "legal skills" classes. I have to check in, in person, every three days with the diversion program's supporting mental health services organization. I have to work with them to create a plan for a more permanent housing situation. I had to establish a primary care physician, find a counselor and psychiatrist in the community, and maintain regular appointments with them for treatment. Additionally, finding and maintaining employment is strongly encouraged."
What a barrel of bullshit. Why is this so difficult? Someone's adjudicated to be no threat to themselves or others. So why spend more money after that fact? We just piss it away for no real reason.
"I have had several different diagnoses. A couple of my diagnoses contradict each other in terms of treatment, but each of these respective diagnoses is similar in symptoms. One doctor will say it's this, the other doctor will say it's that.
The diagnosis that sent me to the OSH, I do not experience the symptoms of. The diagnosis is in my medical record, but I was never prescribed medication for this particular diagnosis. I was never prescribed an antipsychotic until I was sent to the Oregon State Hospital. However, I learned at the OSH that I had been treated at a lower-level mental hospital with an antipsychotic. The psychiatrist who was assigned to me at the OSH said, according to my self-reported symptoms, I may have a misdiagnosis."
Gosh, it's almost like people don't give half a fuck or something. These are real doctors who should have a genuine concern for their patients. Come to a distinct conclusion, or what good are you actually doing? Fucknuts.
“In my recollection, according to my case manager, I cannot be sent back to the Oregon State Hospital on these charges. I already served my time at the Oregon State Hospital for these charges, so I will not be going back.
The OSH may keep patients who are under an "aid and assist" order for up to three years or a period of time equal to the maximum sentence the court could have imposed if the defendant had been convicted, whichever is shorter.
The ability to "aid and assist" is determined by psychiatric evaluation. Possible outcomes of a psychiatric evaluation are: "able," the patient or the defendant is competent and fit to proceed to trial; "not yet able," the patient or the defendant is not yet able, competent, or fit to proceed to trial, but may be in the foreseeable future; or the patient or the defendant is "never able". The "never able" finding, in a legal context, means that a person is deemed unlikely to ever regain the capacity to assist in their own defense, essentially signifying they will never be able to participate meaningfully in their legal proceedings due to their mental state, which could lead to the dismissal of charges and potentially a civil commitment if they are considered a danger to themselves or others.
Multnomah County's Forensic Diversion provides community restoration as an alternative to being placed in the OSH. This option is less restrictive and provides the defendant with continued stability and services while maintaining safety in their community as an alternative to extended time in the Multnomah County Jail.
A Forensic Diversion program is considered a treatment-focused program that's designed to divert defendants with a serious mental illness away from the criminal justice system, and into community-based treatment programs instead of facing a full trial, essentially prioritizing treatment over a traditional trial process.
"Mental Health Court" provides time-limited, intensive monitoring services to persons involved in the criminal legal system post-adjudication. Defendants plea to the court and are supported by parole or probation, Mental Health Court monitors, and peer specialists. The focus is on connecting defendants to community treatment, housing, and financial and medical entitlements. Staff provides ongoing monitoring and support for individuals enrolled in the Mental Health Court. Successful participants can shorten their probationary period."
Okay, so if you're "able," then you can stand in court, but if you're not, then you can't. Which is better? This is like the court having Yogi Bear decide if someone goes up the river. "Okay, Boo-Boo, you're able to stand trial for stealing pic-a-nic baskets."
"The Oregon State Hospital? Stressful. Worse than jail."
My only question is: was the food any better? Jail food sucks, as we all know (yes, I know my audience) there's no way it could be worse...I hope.
"I got out of the OSH because Multnomah County's mental health court judge, the honorable Judge Nan Waller, sent an order to the OSH to discharge me back to the county jail because I was not attending my online court hearings to report about my treatment from inside the Hospital.
Author's note: Judge Nan Waller is the only mental health court judge in Multnomah County. What's more, there's only one judge who fills in for her; her name is Judge Brown. None of this sounds any fun.
"About two weeks after I was admitted into the Hospital, a state police detective came to the unit to interview me about what I had heard from other patients about a mental health therapist, commonly called an "MHT," who had allegedly slapped a wheelchair-bound, guilty except for insanity (GEI) patient across the face.
The Hospital did not put the MHT in question on leave or assign her to a different unit, even while the state police detective was conducting an active investigation against her. This negligence left patients who were interviewed by the state police detective in a more vulnerable position than they already are, as patients in a hospital. I later found out that this MHT had searched my room in the OSH and stole my snacks."
No. Fuck that noise. I fucking love snacks. Don't fucking steal them.
“I went to the hub of the unit, put my hands flat down on a table, and calmly said, 'You are being investigated by the state for crimes against patients; stay the fuck out of my room.'”
“This interaction ultimately led to me being prescribed a high dose of an antipsychotic,”
This sounds to me like it could have been retaliation, but it may have been a matter of course. Fuck 'em anyhow.
“Even though I do not experience hallucinations, see things, or hear things that are not there. This antipsychotic prescription was implemented as part of the OSH's "safety plan" in response to that MHT reporting she felt threatened.”
Go figure. They cry out as they strike you.
Whoa, it seems crazy town apparently is crazier than I thought, but back to her comments.
"Another MHT, a male, chased me around my room, telling me, 'I can put my hands on you.' Saying, 'You don't want me to put my hands on you.' He said, 'I can take the Thermacare™ [1] patch from your body.' (From my underwear.) A nurse from Tijuana stood in the doorway and watched in silence as this happened. After this incident, I was no longer given Thermacare™ patches."
"A couple of patients told me about how they had casual hookups with other patients in the Hospital. This is risky. If you are male, when you are caught, the doctors will prescribe you medication that will prevent you from having an erection."
Shit, they'll steal your fuckin' boner? What a literal letdown.
"If you do not take the medication that is prescribed to you at the OSH, they will get a gang of employees to surround you, usually pin you to the ground, and stab you with a syringe filled with 'emergency medication.' Sometimes, they will put you in a 'seclusion room.'"
Er, that sounds to me like solitary confinement. I think the asylum is run by the lunatics.
"The food at the OSH is much better than county jail food. Some of the food offered was elk stew, salmon, and country-fried steak. You always had the option of choosing a tuna fish, egg salad, or peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat or white bread in lieu of the main entree. Sometimes, we would have unit pizza parties. The vegetarian pizza is the best kind of pizza offered at the OSH."
Well, that question got answered. Can't do much worse than jail food. Sounds far better than bologna and American so-called cheese on stale bread.
"I learned a little bit of Russian from a Ukrainian MHT. I learned how to say a few things, as well as write and read letters of the Russian alphabet and how to say a couple salutations. I made flashcards. We would have these Russian language lessons in the evening, about once a week.”
This would be the Cyrillic alphabet. I only know the swears in Russian.
She later used this skill to make friends with some Russians at a sauna she visited with your humble column writer [2].
"I often would pass the time in the unit aircourt singing. I would start every morning singing The Star-Spangled Banner acapella before breakfast. Later in the afternoon, I would listen and sing along to the music provided by the MP3 players given to patients on the unit. A few times, people would drive by, honking and hollering, encouraging me to continue singing. Other times, the geese would honk and fly by circling around."
"Every day, I would take 20 minutes to pray the 'Mysteries of the Rosary' on my fingers."
“Pray for me.”
--
Apart from that, there were some fairly recent amendments to the mental health system.
There was a legal case, the Mink-Bowman case, specifically, which set limits on how long someone could be kept in the nuthouse. The plaintiffs in the case were Mr. Mink, director of the facility at the time, and Mr. Bowman, who was kept in the crazyhouse for some years, as he had slipped into the cracks of the system.
There are time limits, and one must undergo evaluations every so often to determine if one needs to be there. They forgot Mr. Bowman. He was there for years. Far beyond the prescribed time he was supposed to have been. He should have had evaluations or gone to court, but they just sorta...forgot about him. He languished beyond his time and was basically, "Oh, it's that guy. Give him his food and drug him, and all is well." All was not well.
The prior-mentioned judge, Mosman, presided over the case and determined that this ought never happen again. Anyone in mental care in Oregon has rules about how long they should be there and what must happen when they ARE there. He was not necessarily mistreated, but he was certainly left there for far too long with no hearings, that he might get out if he were not a danger to himself or others and found "able." If he had been accused of committing a crime that warranted him being incarcerated, MAYBE he should have been. Not left in the limbo of the nuthouse, and thus, the court case that changed the law.
Enjoy life, and try to stay out of the crazyhouse.
-Wombstretcha
*Judge Michael Mosman was a key figure in making sure that people are not committed indefinitely and functioned to make sure there was a time limit for your stay in the nuthouse.
[1] Thermacare™ is a dermally-applied patch that provides relief from back pain, neck pain, joint pain, and menstrual pain.
[2] I was not expecting that to happen, but hey, life is an adventure.
My source was a nice person known in the industry as Miranda Rights and lives a quiet, if mildly troublesome, life dealing with The System™.
Wombstretcha the Magnificent is an obligated mental health enthusiast, non-violent offender, writer, and retired rapper from Portland, OR. He can be found at his website, Wombstretcha.com, on Twitter/X/whatever as @wombstretcha503, and on MeWe and (begrudgingly) Facebook as "Wombstretcha the Magnificent."
