Sonoma County Jail Agrees To Change Involuntary Medication Administration Policies For Inmates With Mental Illness

On May 16, 2016, Disability Rights California (DRC) announced that the Sonoma County Sheriff has agreed to change the county jail policies on involuntary medication and administration for inmates with mental illness. DRC's review of jail policies found that jail staff inappropriately filed involuntary treatment petitions on inmates who had not also been placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold, and then injected inmates with long-acting psychotropic medications. DRC informed the Sheriff's Office that both practices are illegal, and must stop. Further, the California Department of Health Services, Behavioral Health allows the use of long-term injected antipsychotics . . .