Dropping off Meds

Late last night I saw that I had received a phone call from the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) at 9:45 pm. I'm not sure why they always call after 9:00 pm. Every time I see it, I nearly have a heart attack. I always think something really bad has happened. After all he IS in jail. We've all seen the TV shows - people getting shanked - and who knows how many gang members are there with him.

No, it's the nurse calling. He's almost out of meds. Can I bring more? Of course C is on ADHD meds, plus. The first time was just a day or so after he went in. When the jail called me the very first time, I talked to a Juvenile Probation Counselor (JPC) who asked me if he was on meds. So that's how they knew to call me about them. I don't trust talking to JPCs at all. They're way too quick to jump to conclusions based on any slight intonation in your voice or slight hesitation in answering. And they can use what you say against your child. And I don't want years added to his sentence because they mistook what I said.

How do meds work? The State doesn't pay for them. If you can get your regular doctor to prescribe, you continue using them for prescriptions. If you have the high-security meds, their psychiatrist will write the prescriptions for child. But they're sent to your pharmacy and you have to pick them up and then bring them to the detention center. They're opened until some crazy time at night, 11:00 pm I think is what one person on the phone told me. But I think 9:00 pm is more apt to be right. I don't think there are deputies on duty after that to get into the front door.

I was 'lucky' that C had an appointment with his psychiatrist the week after he was arrested. I still went to the appointment to see what to do. She wrote a script and this was the last set of pills that I had. I don't feel like I can go back when C isn't in tow and ask for another. Next month will be interesting. What will I have to do as far as my insurance company goes? Hopefully not a problem.

To drop off meds you have to go to the visitor's window. It's down in the basement, the hole - the same place you check in for visits. This is more than just a window. It's like a single bullet proof bank teller's station, just more dreary. And because of the glass you have to talk to them on a phone to the right of the window. But they have no idea you've picked it up most of the time. So most of your communication is sign language.

So it was a dreary misty rain day up on Capitol Hill at noon. Lunch time was the only time I could go. I hate going there. But I really hate going when I know I won't get to see C. (Seeing him is just as miserable.) I know he will know that I've been to drop of medication, but didn't see him. But I'm only allowed to see him a couple times a week. I want to cry coming and going. Three months after all of this started, I still just want to cry.

A note, if your child is in adult jail. Even if you have a prescription for the meds, they will not give your child meds considered controlled substances which most ADHD meds and other psychiatric meds are. This is what my son told me. This surprised me. One of the rights that a person has is to be able to help in creating his defense. In the case of my son, not being on his meds would not allow him to aid in the creation of his defense. I see a law suit waiting  to happen here, if it isn't happening already.