Chino CA.
Some background information
My fiancé wanted a Phych assessment and possible recommendations at a hospital in Pasadena. She had no prior psychiatric issues and was having manic, bi polar type episodes, also talks of minor paranoia - going on about a week. We had researched prior and it looked like the hospital was known for psychiatric care, but at that hour they said the emergency room was our only option.
12 hours later in the ER, a social worker issued a 5150 hold and a few hours later it was announced that a bizarre transfer to a dinky private facility in Chino CA would be taking place. I protested but was told I had no rights, her mother only speaks Korean and had left by that point. After the transfer I found two great facility’s near by, one in Pasadena and one in Glendale. Both with open beds and covered by her insurance. I figured we'd transfer her back the next morning.
6 days later (including the weekend) My fiancé is still stuck at this Chino facility and they are ignoring her and her family’s demands for a transfer. It’s dirty, unethical and she’s locked up in a very dangerous ward.
———————————————————————-———————————————————————-—————————————
All of the above is scary but I’ve come to understand pretty much legal. My actual question is about a document issued at this faculty in Chino.
Her 5150, has now transitioned into a very unethical 5250 hold. Our suspicion that a 5250 might have taken effect was when we realized that the initial 72 hour hold was up and she was not being released. We were super confused as you can imagine.
My Fiancé is adamant that no one informed her or gave her any papers about a 5250. She’s not well here, being highly medicated, mostly downers it would appear, keep that in mind.
For days, she and the family tried to get the intake nurses to accept her signed HIPPA paperwork (so I could check her records) - the Nursing staff refused, even said they had never heard of HIPPA.
After being alarmed by this, I visited the ward for a visitation and asked the intake nurse if I could see my fiancé’s 5250 advisement papers. They asked if I wanted the original or a copy? Confused I said a copy was fine. I watched the nurse go to a very small back room (with no xerox machine I could see) and come out about 15 seconds later with a hastily filled out form. It had 3 unintelligible signatures on it ( all of which look pretty much the same). It was dated three days ago. The writing is very unclear and the staff acted odd.
After exiting to the waiting room I looked closer and the”xerox’ is definitely ball point pen. I literally don’t know what to think about this.. so many questions.
-it looks like maybe he just wrote this in15 seconds to shut me up, is that legal? Potentially forging three signatures?
-if they wouldn’t accept her HIPPA paperwork, why would they just give me (a person with no rights in this) this type of paperwork?
-is it ok not to officially present 5250 notification to my fiancé on the date that ai see on this form?
-I stuck the document in a yellow envelope and drove home, was that a mistake?
-Is it ok for most of the staff including intake Nurse’s to not know HIPPA law?
-is a “written notice” considered to be official documentation? I have no ideal to be honest.
-Does any of this matter and do you think I’m going crazy? That was a joke (I think).
The next morning the “hospital” surprised my fiancé of a 5250 hearing an hour before. I attended and listened to a bunch of oddball reasons the hospital thought my fiancé needed to stay in Chino for more “care”. We’ve always just wanted a transfer to a better, closer, and far safer facility. Her healthcare is extremely good, Motion Picture Industry Health Insurance, they have provided 10 facilities in LA County for us at this point.
Iv’e got a notebook filled with other alarming concerns, I’ll leave the fact that the ward has men and woman mixed together and many of the patients show signs of very alarming and violent behavior. I’ve seen fights break out during visits. I had to grab my fiancé’s mom and run when an angry screaming man rushed us in the facility’s waiting room (being totally serious here ).
Literally just trying to get her out at this point, me and the family are beat down and exhausted. Me asking basic legal questions has made me very unpopular here. My worry is that they want to keep her until her insurance won’t cover this nonsense anymore, my next job is calling and explaining this situation to them. This could turn into another 8-12 days, cannot let that happen.
I’m an art director in the animation industry, I draw really dumb cartoons for money, this stuff is totally new to me. Any insight would be very much appreciated.
Thanks for listening,
JP
Some background information
My fiancé wanted a Phych assessment and possible recommendations at a hospital in Pasadena. She had no prior psychiatric issues and was having manic, bi polar type episodes, also talks of minor paranoia - going on about a week. We had researched prior and it looked like the hospital was known for psychiatric care, but at that hour they said the emergency room was our only option.
12 hours later in the ER, a social worker issued a 5150 hold and a few hours later it was announced that a bizarre transfer to a dinky private facility in Chino CA would be taking place. I protested but was told I had no rights, her mother only speaks Korean and had left by that point. After the transfer I found two great facility’s near by, one in Pasadena and one in Glendale. Both with open beds and covered by her insurance. I figured we'd transfer her back the next morning.
6 days later (including the weekend) My fiancé is still stuck at this Chino facility and they are ignoring her and her family’s demands for a transfer. It’s dirty, unethical and she’s locked up in a very dangerous ward.
———————————————————————-———————————————————————-—————————————
All of the above is scary but I’ve come to understand pretty much legal. My actual question is about a document issued at this faculty in Chino.
Her 5150, has now transitioned into a very unethical 5250 hold. Our suspicion that a 5250 might have taken effect was when we realized that the initial 72 hour hold was up and she was not being released. We were super confused as you can imagine.
My Fiancé is adamant that no one informed her or gave her any papers about a 5250. She’s not well here, being highly medicated, mostly downers it would appear, keep that in mind.
For days, she and the family tried to get the intake nurses to accept her signed HIPPA paperwork (so I could check her records) - the Nursing staff refused, even said they had never heard of HIPPA.
After being alarmed by this, I visited the ward for a visitation and asked the intake nurse if I could see my fiancé’s 5250 advisement papers. They asked if I wanted the original or a copy? Confused I said a copy was fine. I watched the nurse go to a very small back room (with no xerox machine I could see) and come out about 15 seconds later with a hastily filled out form. It had 3 unintelligible signatures on it ( all of which look pretty much the same). It was dated three days ago. The writing is very unclear and the staff acted odd.
After exiting to the waiting room I looked closer and the”xerox’ is definitely ball point pen. I literally don’t know what to think about this.. so many questions.
-it looks like maybe he just wrote this in15 seconds to shut me up, is that legal? Potentially forging three signatures?
-if they wouldn’t accept her HIPPA paperwork, why would they just give me (a person with no rights in this) this type of paperwork?
-is it ok not to officially present 5250 notification to my fiancé on the date that ai see on this form?
-I stuck the document in a yellow envelope and drove home, was that a mistake?
-Is it ok for most of the staff including intake Nurse’s to not know HIPPA law?
-is a “written notice” considered to be official documentation? I have no ideal to be honest.
-Does any of this matter and do you think I’m going crazy? That was a joke (I think).
The next morning the “hospital” surprised my fiancé of a 5250 hearing an hour before. I attended and listened to a bunch of oddball reasons the hospital thought my fiancé needed to stay in Chino for more “care”. We’ve always just wanted a transfer to a better, closer, and far safer facility. Her healthcare is extremely good, Motion Picture Industry Health Insurance, they have provided 10 facilities in LA County for us at this point.
Iv’e got a notebook filled with other alarming concerns, I’ll leave the fact that the ward has men and woman mixed together and many of the patients show signs of very alarming and violent behavior. I’ve seen fights break out during visits. I had to grab my fiancé’s mom and run when an angry screaming man rushed us in the facility’s waiting room (being totally serious here ).
Literally just trying to get her out at this point, me and the family are beat down and exhausted. Me asking basic legal questions has made me very unpopular here. My worry is that they want to keep her until her insurance won’t cover this nonsense anymore, my next job is calling and explaining this situation to them. This could turn into another 8-12 days, cannot let that happen.
I’m an art director in the animation industry, I draw really dumb cartoons for money, this stuff is totally new to me. Any insight would be very much appreciated.
Thanks for listening,
JP
