The Discharge Unit implements procedures to identify the mentally ill individuals in custody before discharge and have a mental health liaison develop a case plan for each individual before discharge.
Within the Cook County Department of Corrections, the Records and RCDC Discharge Unit will work with the Mental Health Liaison prior to a mentally ill individual being discharged in order to identify the level of mental health care needed and create the appropriate discharge plan.
Mental Health Liaison will:
- Conduct interviews with discharging individuals.
- Implement a process by which an individual in custody undergoes a Pre-Admissions Screen before or in connection with discharge.
- Initiate a petition to transfer an individual in custody to a Mental Health Facility if the individual in custody qualifies for involuntary admission on an inpatient basis and requires immediate hospitalization to protect the individual or others from physical harm (Inpatient Admission by Certificate procedure).
- Organize an appropriate discharge plan for each individual with a mental illness.