[Nightside of Eden]

I don't know if anyone will be able to help me with this, but I have to use every resource I can think of.

My brother is Bipolar I. On Tuesday his manic episode evolved into serious psychotic features. My mother panicked and called 911 because he was ranting and loud and wouldn't listen, though, and I must emphasize this, he was NOT violent and definitely not suicidal. He had never had an episode with psychotic features before and she was just scared. He voluntarily went to the hospital for treatment. This is where everything goes wrong. He was already connected to reality again in the ER (it was a brief episode, really), but they threatened him into signing himself inpatient voluntarily by insisting they would go involuntary if he didn't. I argued with them very vociferously but they wouldn't listen to me either. He was transferred to a facility I've never heard of 40 miles away which seems horrible (I don't know what my mother overheard on the phone to them that made her cry, but I guess I'll find out tonight because I'm going there myself).

I need to get my brother OUT. I've been on the phone with our state mental health advocacy agency. They said that if he gives the facility written notice that he wants to leave, they must release him within 72 hours or file a court petition to go involuntary. So yesterday I left a message which they're supposedly required by law to pass on to the patient (I couldn't actually talk to him) telling him to write the letter and give it to them. They did NOT pass on the message as required, and so have already violated one law according to my advocate. When I go to the facility tonight, I'm going to take paper with me and have him write the letter and watch it be handed over myself.

I'm also looking into getting a lawyer through the advocacy group. I'm waiting for a call back on that right now.

Is there anything else I can do? Does anyone have any tips on how I should deal with the staff when I go there for their pathetically short visiting hours tonight?

This whole thing was a huge, massive mistake. My mother and I are distraught over what we allowed to happen (her out of naiveté and me out of confusion stemming from my own serious mental health issues). We have to make this right somehow. My brother will never get better in that place. It will only leave more scars and this time they'll be my fault.

This is happening in the state of Pennsylvania, just for reference.

[eskielover]

I don't know how things work there.....but the one thing I can say is don't get belligerent with them......make sure you talk through the situation rationally & non-emotionally because they will just turn off their listening otherwise.

I would hope that they would have done some tests, but betting 40 miles away, his own pdoc wasn't involved in that hospital. I would never go to a hospital where my pdoc didn't have priviledges....they treament from the "who ever you get" pdoc is NEVER OK.

Had similar problems with a friend here we were all trying to help.....it was very sad.

Unfortunately I can understand why your mother called 911....that would be scary not knowing what or how long it would continue.

Wishing you the best with your brother. I would just follow the directions the advocate gave you & give them his number if they have a problem...tell them this is what he TOLD you to do