Happy Father's Day Dad, I won't give up!

I don’t even think my affidavit to the judge made a difference- the state attorney struck the defense attorney’s motion to dismiss my dad’s charges and she withdrew the motion. This means that my dad is back in the hospital, safe until a November competency hearing of some sort. Great news, right? Well for the short term it absolutely is. My dad will not be dumped out homeless on the street (yet anyways). It is confusing because my father’s attorney told me that the state is trying to get my dad restored to competency so that he can face his charges- which makes incarceration likely (or that he is dumped out homeless if his sentence exceeds his time served in jail and hospitals). When I spoke to the state attorney before the last hearing she completely agreed that my father belongs in a hospital or some sort of structured environment, not in prison. So there is a conflict between what my dad’s attorney is telling me and the state attorney’s perspective I gathered from our conversations. 

My dad has not called me since the hearing. I don’t know if that is because he is still in jail and unable to until he is transferred back to the hospital, or if he did see or hear my affidavit and thinks I am against him for not wanting his charges dismissed. At this point it is difficult because of course I don’t want my father incarcerated, that is one of the worst case scenarios! But is it worse than the streets where he will stop taking his medication and possibly get hurt, killed, or re-arrested and in jail again? I don’t know.

What I do know is that I am trying to get in touch with EVERYONE involved in my father’s case to come up with several plans contingent on the host of outcomes that may be a reality in November (or some future date, who knows):

1.       IS there a structured environment available for my father if the criminal charges are released?

2.       What type of community options, such as halfway houses, are available for my father is he is released (even though these likely aren’t structured enough to get him medication compliant long term and the cycle will begin again, it bides some time where he is more likely to be safe)?

3.       Can I evaluate all of the possibilities and get them as in place as possible before dad’s next hearing?

So far this week I have called the attorneys, dad’s case worker and forensic specialist. It is not imperative that I reach the attorneys immediately and I articulated that on those messages so its understandable they haven't called back. However, the people who can and are supposed to assist with my father’s care and well being RARELY IF EVER RETURN MY CALLS!!!! ESPECIALLY HIS CASE WORKER AT THE HOSPITAL!!  Yes there is time now, but there won’t be in a few months and they only call me back when something is imminently pending or has already happened. 

How am I supposed to protect my dad when no one will help me try to help him until it’s too late?

What can I do now to be proactive?

I don’t have the funds to hire an attorney in Florida or I would have done that already. For once I have a concrete time limit- well unless the hearing date changes. And even though what happens at that point is largely unknown, possibilities can be assessed and contingency plans developed.

Happy Father’s Day dad, I love you so much and will not give up! Even though you may believe I am against you by not supporting your immediate release that is not the case. Quite the contrary, dad. You will only understand if I am successful with all of this, but I’m okay with that…