You Need a Discharge Planner
Janie is a non-verbal and autistic detainee that has recently been court-ordered for release. It is February with negative two-degree temperatures and Janie does not have socks or shoes. Janie does not have guardian to be released to and the officers have reservations about her release. It would be false imprisonment to hold Janie, however, so the jail radios patrol to keep an eye out for a “vagrant” walking shoeless near the jail. Eventually, patrol picks up Janie for vagrancy and returns her to the jail where she is sheltered from the elements.
We should not criminalize the mentally ill and we should not put officers in the position for such a conflict of conscience. Discharge planners can connect individuals to the appropriate services and support upon release to prevent situations like Janie’s. It takes a full-time, dedicated discharge planner to build relationships with community partners, assess detainee needs, and tailor and execute a discharge plan.
Get a discharge planner
There is a growing number of state mandates for discharge planning in jails. For example, in Minnesota, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Sheriff are tasked to ensure discharge planning for those with serious mental health needs.¹ What becomes a mandate in one state generally becomes a precedent for others, especially in lawsuits.
Even if you don't have a person with the title, officers and health care staff may have a role in creating an appropriate discharge plan. A discharge planner should connect detainees to the appropriate community resources upon release to provide…
Transportation
Clothing and food
Financial resources
Documentation
Housing
Employment and education
Medical and health care
Support systems
This may look like making a phone call to the receiving agency, working with transport to get the detainee from the jail to the appropriate resource, gathering supportive documentation for a disability, or ensuring comprehensive mental health evaluations before and after discharge. Discharge planners should also hold offsite meetings with
community services to let them know there is a need at the jail and to assist detainees in accessing support upon release. A discharge planner can look into state or community based grants for discharge planning and re-entry health services.
The jail provides security for the individuals inside and out. Lack of appropriate discharge planning impacts the larger community. Serious medical issues can cause a person to act erratically and potentially cause injury to themselves and others. The goal of health care in jail should be to provide continuity of care on the front and back end of an individual’s incarceration. This can help prevent recidivism by ensuring the individual is in the appropriate treatment program versus on the streets with no support. The jail is not an island – get a discharge planner.
For more information, please contact training@sparktraining.us.
1. Discharge Plans, Min. Stat. § 641.155 (2005 & rev. 2024). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2024/cite/641.155
Disclaimer
All materials have been prepared for general information purposes only. The information presented should be treated as guidelines, not rules. The information presented is not intended to establish a standard of medical care and is not a substitute for common sense. The information presented is not legal advice, is not to be acted on as such, may not be current, and is subject to change without notice. Each situation should be addressed on a case-by-case basis. When in doubt, send them out!®