I am reaching out in desperate need of advice and support regarding my son’s situation. […]
Despite my efforts, including applying for Lasting Power of Attorney (LPOA), which is still in process, I feel lost in my attempts to assist him effectively. The court cases are fast approaching, and without the LPOA registered, I am unsure how to proceed.
I am seeking guidance on how to utilize mental health law to adjourn the upcoming court dates. My son’s mental health must take precedence, and postponing these proceedings is crucial for his well-being and recovery. Additionally, I am open to exploring options for debt relief or debt forgiveness to alleviate his financial burden during this challenging time.
While I have engaged an insolvency firm to address the debt situation, their efforts have not yet resulted in the cancellation or postponement of the court dates. I am therefore turning to this forum for advice, expertise, and support in navigating this complex and urgent matter.
Any insights, recommendations, or resources you can provide would be immensely appreciated. Thank you in advance for your assistance and understanding. If anyone has any suggestions of legal aid lawyers recommendations.
I have just seen your message and will write more later on this discussion board about similar problems being experienced by other samilies, including mine.
If you can write to me separately - rosemary.moore@virgin.net I could make some suggestions based on my own experiences which are ongoing.
Hi I am sorry to hear about your situation and I know how stressful that can be. I have experience in criminal law and wonder if it is worth contacting the liaison and diversion service in your area for advice and support. They should help with any court cases and may be able to persuade the prosecutor to either adjourn or find an alternative to appearing in court. Good luck and look after yourself.
NHS commissioning » Liaison and Diversion (england.nhs.uk)
This is the website from the NHS website. Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services identify people who have mental health, learning disability, substance misuse or other vulnerabilities when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants or offenders.
The service can then support people through the early stages of criminal system pathway, refer them for appropriate health or social care or enable them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system into a more appropriate setting, if required.
L&D services aim to improve overall health outcomes for people and to support people in the reduction of re-offending. It also aims to identify vulnerabilities in people earlier on which reduces the likelihood that people will reach a crisis-point and helps to ensure the right support can be put in place from the start.
There are different contacts for each area I believe and they may be able to help you with your son. They may also be able to support you going forward if he does have to attend court.
I hope it helps.
Narendra, I don’t know what mental health services your son is linked to, and it would not be appropriate to share too much information on this open site. However, there is a service called Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space, which is a process which freezes debts for people in mental health crisis who are within the mental health service. There are some specific eligibility criteria, so not everyone with mental health needs will qualify. Link below.
The website where this information is based (Mental Health and Money Advice) is also a useful resource more generally around mental health and financial problems.
I would advise you to contact Rethink Mental Health who run the Mental Health and Money Advice service. Phone 0808 801 0745
You can also phone your council’s local AMHP team for advice as an AMHP will need to endorse the MHBS application ( Mental Health Breathing Space )
The information below is from Rethink regarding the Mental Health Breathing Space.
We are Mental Health and Money Advice, a specialist service run by the mental health charity, Rethink Mental Illness. We are the organisation who is administering the Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space scheme in England. The scheme defines someone in mental health crisis as being:
detained for assessment or treatment under the Mental Health Act 1983.
removed to a Place of Safety under that Act.
receiving crisis, emergency or acute care or treatment in any setting from a specialist mental health service team (crisis home treatment, liaison mental health, community mental health or other specialist mental health crisis services for a mental disorder of a serious nature.
If the above-mentioned client is eligible, they will have respite from their debts for the entire duration they are receiving treatment for a mental health crisis, and up to 30 days after. We can also help prevent any legal action being taken against them while they are in Breathing Space. As the client’s Nominated Point of Contact, we will contact you to carry out an interval check every 20-30 days, to ascertain if the client is still receiving crisis treatment. We will also check in to see if the client is well enough to receive debt advice themselves.