HELPLINE: 650-638-0802 / CRISIS LINE: 650-579-0350 / TEXT 988 LIFELINE

Legal Resources

 

For detailed information, use the following links to key legal topics related to individuals and families.

PDF RESOURCES

Mandatory Reporting:

The California Department of Education (CDE), in conjunction with the California Department of Social Services, to help all persons, particularly those persons who work in our children’s schools, to be able to identify signs of suspected cases of child abuse and/or child neglect and seniors and to have the tools to know how to make a report to the proper authorities.
National Child Abuse Hotline (800) 422-4453
Adult and Aging Services       (800) 675-8437


Correctional Programs:

 
Maguire Correctional Facility: 300 Bradford St, Redwood City (650)
363-4969
San Mateo County  Jail  (new jail):  1590 Maple St, Redwood City (650) 363-4310
Correctional Mental Health Service:  Carlos Morales (650) 573-2037
Jail Chaplain:  Michael Murray (650) 364-4664
 Pathways Program:  alternative path thru the criminal justice system for those   with serious mental illness, Isaac Frederick (650) 802-3351
Private Defender Program, 333 Bradford St # 200, Redwood City 94063 (650) 298-4000
Root & Rebound, http://www.rootandrebound.org,  provides direct support to people with arrest and conviction histories – as well as their family members.  Reentry Legal Hotline every Friday (510) 279-4662
Service Connect (housing, case mgmt, transportation, etc.  for soon to be released inmates), 550 Quarry Road, 2nd Floor, San Carlos, who are enrolled in Post-Release Community Supervision (PRCS) (650) 508-6745
Service League, 727 Middlefield Rd, Redwood City (650)
364-4664

 

Legal Assistance:
Bay Area Legal Aid, Redwood City (650) 358-0745
Community Legal Service, East Palo Alto (Housing, Immigration, Economic Placement) (650) 326-6440
Housing Emergency Legal Aid (650) 517-8911
Legal Aid Society, Redwood City (800) 381-8898

Conservator investigator of San Mateo County: (Legal Advice & Restraining Order Clinic)
Danielle LaCampage:  (650) 599-1034 or (650) 363-4117

Ombudsman of San Mateo County

(650) 341-1889

NAMI SMC does not make recommendations for any particular attorney.

Special Needs-Trust Attorneys-Probate-LPS Conservatorship-Estate Planning

Ellen Cookman, Palo Alto  (650) 690 2571
Mark Gilfix, Palo Alto, San Jose (800) 244-9424 or (650) 493-8070
Baron Miller,  San Francisco (415) 522-0500
Jonathan McDougall, San Carlos (650) 594 4200
Catherine Raye-Wong, San Carlos (650) 591-7352

Attorneys who work with Pathways and Misdemeanor Trial competence restoration calendar:

  • Alex Easterbrook (650) 722-0927 or (650) 298-4000.  easterbrooka@gmail.com – Alex has represented candidates and participants in the Pathways Mental Health Court with sensitivity and acumen throughout the program’s existence. He brings extensive knowledge and experience to his practice and affiliates with the Private Defender Program.
  • Tanya O’Malley (650) 631-3873 tomalleylaw@yahoo.com – Tanya has long anchored Private Defender representation for the misdemeanor trial competence restoration calendar. Tanya has regularly represented candidates and participants on the Pathways calendar, as well as partnering with several departments in seeking appropriate, rapid releases on own recognizance for misdemeanor defendants with serious mental illness through the CAMI (Court Alternatives for the Mentally Ill) program.
  • Workers’ Compensation Specialist:
    Kenneth Martinson
    (408) 375-8135 kennethmesq@msn.com851 Cherry Avenue, Ste 27 100, San Bruno CA  94066. Spanish is spoken. 
 

AOT Services Launched July 1, 2016

To make a referral, call 650-372-6125 or email AOT@smcgov.org.

Learn more about San Mateo County’s AOT process and team at: www.smchealth.org/AOT.

Together Towards Recovery 

Developed out of the San Mateo County’s adoption of Laura’s Law (Assembly Bill 1421) in the summer of 2015, the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is a program that reaches out to people with a severe mental illness who are not connected to services and are challenged with living safely and stably in our community.

The AOT team works collaboratively with individuals, their family members and partners to provide the right care at the right place and time. Our dedicated team helps decrease mental health crises, hospitalizations, incarceration and homelessness while helping people achieve and maintain their physical and mental health.

SMC’s AOT outreaches to people who are not connected to treatment and engages them in services provided by Caminar’s Full Service Partnership (FSP), a community based program which provides intensive mental health services. The program includes 24/7 care and services such as intensive case management, psychiatry, medication management, benefit and housing support, life skill development, as well as guidance and support to help people reach their recovery goals.

San Mateo County joins other Bay Area counties, including San Francisco and Contra Costa, and over a dozen other counties throughout the state in implementing Laura’s Law and the AOT.

Through this early implementation in other counties, Assisted Outpatient Treatment has been shown to:

  • save lives
  • reduce homelessness, hospitalizations, crime, arrests, and incarceration
  • help families and reduce caregiver stress
  • save money on arrests, incarcerations, and hospitalizations

Eligibility

A person must meet all of these conditions to be eligible for AOT: Have a history of not following through with treatment for their mental illness resulting in:

  • Being hospitalized and/or incarcerated two or more times within the last 3 years.
  • Or, having threatened or attempted a significantly dangerous behavior towards themselves or others at least one time in the past 2 years.
  • Were previously offered treatment on a voluntary basis and refused it, and whose health is quickly declining.

To make a referral, call 650-372-6125 or email AOT@smcgov.org.

Learn more about San Mateo County’s AOT process and team at: www.smchealth.org/AOT.

– Terry Wilcox-Rittgers. SMC BHRS Wellness Matters, July 2016