Community Meetings for Families with Incarcerated Loved Ones

The Pasadena Police Department’s Homeless Outreach-Psychiatric Evaluation (HOPE) Team and The Pasadena Mental Health Advisory Committee (PMHAC), in conjunction with the Custodial Coaching Prison Consultants, is hosting the first of a series of ground-breaking seminars aimed at easing the emotional and psychological toll of incarceration for both offenders and their loved ones. The Community Legal Wellness Seminar Series will feature a slate of knowledgeable and experienced speakers on topics ranging from continuing mental health treatment while in custody and beyond, mental health services for family and loved ones, anger management, career and parenting counseling, to alternative sentencing options. 

This program was reviewed and sanctioned by the PMHAC, comprised of mental health care professionals from Pasadena’s major MH care providers/partners, including Pacific Clinics, NAMI-SGV, Center For Aging Resources, Five Acres, Rosemary Children’s Services, LA County Department of Mental Health, Union Station Homeless Services, Aurora-Las Encinas Hospital, as well as private practice representatives.  

Pasadena’s mental health service providers, working in partnership with the police department, are trying innovative community outreach methods to improve the psychological and emotional well-being of our most at-risk members, in the hope that recent tragic events involving police and persons on parole, are not repeated.  Chief Melekian is a strong advocate in promoting creative law enforcement mental health crisis response.  

The first free seminar, open to the public, will be held at the Lamanda Park Library, 140 S. Altadena Dr., Pasadena, CA 91107, on Tuesday, August 25, 2009, from 6-8:00 p.m.  Also at Jackie Robinson Center, 1020 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91103, on Thursday, September 3, 2009, from 6-8:00 p.m.