Mental Hygiene Court Patrol
The Mental Hygiene Court Patrol at present is focusing in monitoring the Mental Hygiene Court at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, New York City. The Court meets every Tuesday at the 19th floor from 10:00am to about 2:30pm or whenever the last case ends, either earlier or later. Make sure to bring some picture ID to gain access to the building. You are probably going to show your ID and then be given a pass.
Some Hospital personnel and some of the players in the Mental Hygiene Court may be misinformed and try to deny your right to be present in the Courtroom. You have a right to be there if you chose so. By order of New York State Chief Judge Judy Kay, all Courts in New York State are open to the public.
The only exception is if in an specific case the judge makes a ruling to close the Court to the public upon the petition of the attorney of the patient or the one who represents the Hospital, or both. Even them you should raise your hand and present your argument against the motion to the Judge.
Be aware that the person who mans the corridor right outside the Mental Health Court on the 19th floor, works for Bellevue Hospital and is very hostile to the public presence and will do everything possible to harass you. Do not let him discourage you.
The sad part is that the Court Appointed attorneys have not been representing the patients properly and they do not like the presence of us in the Courtroom. Our mission is to bring light to this obscure and inhuman process and thus force system change and help the patients regain their freedom and dignity. Usually the Court Appointed Attorneys team with the Hospital attorneys and the psychiatrists to make sure that the patients are drugged and kept against their will indefenitely.
For 40 years the Mental hygiene Court at Bellevue Hospital was a place were patients were railroaded in front of a Judge and summarilly abused with the complicity of the psychiatrists, their attorneys, and the Court Appointed Attorneys, alledgely defending the patients. It was a Buddy's Club were no outsiders were welcome, and understandable so. The organization representing patients in Mental Hygiene Courts in New York City are the court appointed attorneys of the Mental Hygiene Legal Services (MHLS). The ones that work in Manhattan are known to be the worst, and the ones in Long Island have received positive evaluations by some patients and advocates.
Mental Health and Human Rights Activists had for many years tried to have access to that Courtroom by had failed. But on Tuesday March 21th, 2006 at around 10:30am by God's Grace things have changed. After being denied access to the Courtroom, we got lucky. I insisted on talking to the Clerk of the Court. He explained to me that the court was closed to the public. I told him about about Judge Judy Kay order to open all Court to the public. He said that Bellevue must be the exception. I said I will complain. Five minutes later he came back and apologized and said that after talking to the presiding Judge (Lucindo Suarez), he had been informed that yes the Court was open to the public.
We are looking foward for volunteers to be part of the Mental Hygiene Court Patrol and help us build a movement to effect system change and eventually dismantle this Institutionalized System of Injustice.
Call to Action Letter 5-31-2006
Bellevue Hospital Center
462 First Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Bellevue Hospital is a large structure on the East side of Manhattan, on the East side of First Avenue between 26 and 29 Streets, the main entrance is between 27 and 28 Streets. The closest train station is the 28 Street stop of the 6 train. It has New York University Medical Center besides it to the North.
Meet Us at 9:45am Every Tuesday on the 19th floor of Bellevue Hospital, right outside of the Mental Hygiene Court, by the elevators right before passing the Court Officer, so we can go inside the courtroom all together.
Bellevue Hospital Website
Mental Hygiene Legal Services (MHLS): Provides legal representation for inpatients, for those referred for AOT, and for outpatients with mental illness and developmental disabilities if they are in a certified community residence. Bronx/Manhattan: 212-779-1734
MHLS Regional Website
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