Lawsuit alleges Santa Barbara County Main Jail inmate denied mental health screening

For the second time in less than a week, a former inmate at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail has filed a lawsuit against Corizon Health, the Tennessee-based company contracted to provide medical services for inmates at the jail. 

This time, a man diagnosed with schizophrenia alleges that he was denied an adequate mental health screening and falsely imprisoned at Santa Barbara County Jail, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court on Nov. 3. 

Jackson Velasco’s ordeal began on Nov. 4, 2014, when his parents phoned 911 after becoming concerned for their son’s safety when he ran away from home. 

According to the lawsuit, deputy Robert Samaniego of the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office responded to the call and found Velasco at 105 E. Clarke St., where he encountered Velasco having a psychotic episode. An additional deputy, Brian Scott, was called to the scene. 

Several more officials were called to the scene, including fire fighters and medics, as well as the county’s Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services. 

Velasco refused to speak to the deputies and follow their commands to sit down, according to the lawsuit. 

Instead of taking Velasco in for a psychiatric evaluation, he was instead taken to the Santa Barbara County Main Jail where he was booked on suspicion of resisting arrest and violation of probation.

During the booking process, Scott requested that Velasco receive a mental health evaluation, although it never happened, according to the lawsuit.  

While in jail, Velasco remained in a psychotic state and refused to take his prescribed anti-psychotic medication, the lawsuit states, although he alleges that he never received his medication, despite the jail staff knowing.

Velasco was first housed in a regular cell, then moved to a safety cell for suicide watch, then moved back to the regular cell. 

The day before his arraignment, Velasco was already inside a “safety cell” when he was visited twice by an unnamed Corizon Health psychiatrist, who noted his refusal to take medication both times.

At some point during his confinement, Velasco says the water to his cell was cut off and he was forced to drink water from the toilet. The only food he received was a meal upon arrival to the jail and a baggie of food on the fifth day. 

On Nov. 8, Velasco began suffering from dehydration and was transported to Cottage Hospital. When Velasco emerged from his cell, he was “covered in blood” and was restrained by several jail deputies.  

Velasco was released from the hospital several days later and the charges were eventually dropped, the lawsuit states.

There is a strong likelihood that Velasco injured himself inside of the cell, said Brian Vogel, Velasco’s attorney.

According to Vogel, who has represented clients in similar cases in the past, the lawsuit is indicative of the current state of mental health care in Santa Barbara County. 

“It’s been a systemic problem for years,” Vogel said. “There’s a lot of these situations that arise, but they are difficult and expensive to pursue.”

Velasco’s case resembles that of Keith Macy, who sued the Sheriff’s Office and the ADMHS for similar reasons in August 2009. Macy spent several weeks inside the so-called safety cell, where he sustained lacerations from occasionally banging his head against the wall and once tried to drown himself in the toilet, according to court documents. 

Vogel represented Macy, who eventually settled with the county for an undisclosed amount in 2010.

Macy’s case is similar, except county officials may not have been entirely unfamiliar with Velasco.

On two separate occasions last year, officials from the ADMHS were on hand for Velasco and arranged for him to receive treatment at a hospital instead of going to jail. 

They were also on scene in the latest incident, although it’s not clear why Velasco was arrested. According to the lawsuit, he was on probation at the time for a marijuana-related offense.

The county contracts with several facilities to provide mental health care, according to Vogel, although he speculated there were no vacancies at the time.

Kelly Hoover, the Sheriff’s Office public information officer, confirmed with the Sun that they received a copy of the lawsuit, but was unable to comment on pending litigation. 

In a previous statement provided to the Sun, Corizon Director of External Affairs Martha Harbin said “the existence of a lawsuit is not necessarily indicative of quality of care or any wrongdoing.” 

Velasco is suing the county; the Sheriff’s Office; deputy Scott; ADHMS Director Alice Gleghorn; Corizon; and Merilee Barba, a psychologist employed by Corizon.

Former inmate Gaik Sokhikian alleges medical neglect in a lawsuit filed on Oct. 29 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.

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