The document provides guidance for individuals with mental illness to navigate interactions with the criminal justice system, focusing on prevention of arrest, legal advice, and local resources in the Philadelphia area. It emphasizes crisis intervention, legal representation, and treatment options available to avoid escalation into a criminal scenario. Additional resources for finding help and support in various counties are included to assist affected individuals and their families.

1. Created 2013
Helping Individuals with
Mental Illness
to Avoid or Deal with the
Criminal Justice System
Presented by NAMI PA, Main Line,
an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness
Please view the final slide for NAMI PA, Main Line contact information
and the link to a printable document with additional information.

2. Information is provided in three sections:
• Preventing Arrest
• Criminal Justice System procedures and advice
• Resources for people in the Philadelphia
metropolitan area
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This information is not legal advice. A person
who is in police custody should get the
services of a criminal lawyer (see slide 9).

3. Preventing Arrest
• Avoid arrest by arranging for crisis
intervention, ongoing treatment, or court-
ordered emergency treatment before the
situation escalates to necessitate police
involvement.
• If you fear there may be a crisis, it is helpful to
notify the police in advance that a household
includes a person with a mental illness, so the
police can respond to an emergency in an
informed manner (see slide 13).

4. Preventing Arrest --Treatment
• Programs such as assertive community
treatment (PACT) can help to prevent relapse
and mental health crises and thus reduce the
risk of arrest.
• Many resources for finding treatment are
described in “How to Get Services” and
“Resources for People with Mental Illness”
available at www.NAMIpaMainLine.org

5. • During a mental health crisis call 911 only if
there is immediate danger of physical harm.
• Otherwise you may reduce the risk that a
crisis will result in arrest by calling the county
crisis line which has staff 24/7 who can
assess the situation, arrange for an in-person
evaluation and/or make referrals as needed.
• Crisis line phone numbers for the greater
Philadelphia area are available at:
www.namipamainline.org/crisis-numbers/
Preventing Arrest --Crisis Intervention

6. Preventing Arrest
-- Court-Ordered Treatment
• When an individual has a life-threatening
psychiatric emergency but is unwilling to
consent to treatment, state law authorizes
court-ordered treatment without the
individual’s consent.
– Inpatient = involuntary commitment
– Outpatient = assisted outpatient treatment
• For more information go to:
www.mces.org/PDFs/MCES_Quest_June_2003.pdf or
www.dbhmrs.org/mental-health-delegate/.

7. Preventing Arrest –
Mental Health Advance Directives
• An Advance Directive allows a person with mental
illness to indicate his/her treatment preferences and
designate a Power of Attorney for health care who can
be authorized to make treatment decisions on his/her
behalf in the event of a mental health crisis.
• Go to Disability Rights Network’s website at
www.drnpa.org/ to download a copy of the PA Mental
Health Advance Directive
(MH-Adv-Dir-Decl-Form.pdf).

8. Preventing Arrest – Finding a Missing Person
• The National Missing and Unidentified Persons
Database allows the general public to add new
missing persons, with physical and circumstantial
details, photographs, dental contacts and other
critical information. Posters can be created and
cases tracked. Go to www.findthemissing.org.
• Additional resources are available at
www.outpostforhope.org
www.nami.org

9. Criminal Justice System – Advice
• Get a good criminal lawyer as soon as possible. Try
to prevent the police from questioning a suspect
without a lawyer present. The police must stop
questioning anyone who asks for a lawyer. If
possible, consult with a lawyer before deciding
whether to reveal a suspect’s mental illness.
• If you cannot afford to pay the full fee for a private
lawyer, contact public defender services, court-
appointed attorneys, or local criminal defense
lawyers associations or bar associations.
(additional information in following slides)

10. Criminal Justice System – Advice
• If a person with mental illness has been arrested, see
the judge or call the district attorney and ask the
court to make it a condition of bail or sentencing that
the person must follow all treatment
recommendations. This often helps to increase
compliance with medications and other important
treatments.
• If a person with mental illness has been incarcerated,
contact the prison, ask for the medical department,
and give the person's treatment history (often the
place of last treatment is sufficient).

11. Criminal Justice System
– Procedures and Advice
• For a brief overview see Dealing with the
Criminal Justice System
http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline1/Dealing_with_th
e_Criminal_Justice_System.htm
• A Guide to Mental Illness and the Criminal
Justice System has an informative discussion
of procedures and terminology as well as
helpful advice.
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Issue_Spotlights&template=
/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=60725

12. Criminal Justice System
– Procedures and Advice
• When a Person with Mental Illness Goes to
Prison – How to Help (a joint project of NAMI
NY and the Urban Justice Center):
http://il.nami.org/when%20a%20person%20with%20mental
%20illness%20goes%20to%20prison.pdf
• Understanding the Criminal Justice System by
NAMI CT:
http://www.nami.org/Content/Microsites146/NAMI_of_Conn
ecticut,_Inc/Home135/Criminal_Jusitice1/mh_handbook.pdf

13. Resources for People in the
Greater Philadelphia Area
• If you or your loved one are about to have or have
had an encounter with the police, you should seek
resources in the county where the incident is
occurring/has occurred (even if this is different from
the county of residence).
• The PA Premise Alert System allows families to
provide information about a person with mental
illness to first responders before a problem occurs
(www.papremisealert.com).

14. Chester County
• Crisis Line: 610-918-2100 or 877-918-2100
• Public Defender (free lawyers for low income
criminal defendants) 610-344-6940
• Mental Health Recovery Court (to divert
arrested offenders with mental illness from
incarceration) = the ADAPT program; call
Bail Agency 610-344-6886
Mental Health 610-344-6265
Adult Probation & Parole 610-344-6290

15. Chester County
• NAMI PA, Chester County has prepared a very
helpful booklet with a wealth of additional
information (e.g. on the Mental Health
Protocol which provides a way for an offender
to receive treatment in the community where
there are more resources available than jail).
NAMI PA, Chester County can also provide
additional information and support.
• Call 610-430-0177

16. Delaware County
• Crisis line 610-352-4703
• If a family member is incarcerated, contact the
prison's Mental Health Liaisons at 610-361-3237 or
610-361-3336. These liaisons connect incarcerated
mentally ill individuals to mental health services
while they are incarcerated and upon release.
• Contact Office of Behavioral Health at 610-713-2365
for information about resources such as
probation/parole officers who specialize in helping
mentally ill offenders.

17. Delaware County
• Public Defender (free lawyers for low
income criminal defendants)
610-891-4100
• For additional information and support:
NAMI PA, Delaware County
610-623-0071
NAMI PA, Main Line 267-251-6240

18. Montgomery County
• Crisis line 610-279-6100 or 800-452-4189
• Crisis line for children or adolescents
ACCESS: 215-540-2150
• Montgomery County Emergency Services is often
able to divert individuals with mental illness from
the criminal justice system to mental health services.
610-279-6100 (www.mces.org)
• Public Defender (free lawyers for low income
criminal defendants) 610-278-3295

19. Montgomery County
• Help in navigating the criminal justice system
is provided by peer support through
Community Advocates for Montgomery
County: 610-270-0375
• For additional information and support:
NAMI PA, Montgomery County 215-886-0350
NAMI PA, Main Line 267-251-6240

20. Philadelphia County
• Crisis line 215-686-4420
• Public Defender (free lawyers for low income
criminal defendants) 215-568-3190
• Drug Treatment Court 215-683-3788
• For additional information and support:
Philadelphia NAMI 267-687-4381
www.philadelphia.nami.org/affiliates.html

21. Created 2013
Presented by NAMI PA, Main Line
an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness
www.NAMIpaMainLine.org
info@NAMIpaMainLine.org
The complete document this presentation summarizes can be found at:
http://NAMIpaMainLine.org/info-resources/criminal-justice-resources/
All information is current as of publication date; please let us know if you encounter broken hyperlinks.