A Milwaukee mother says she did everything right — she told county officials her son had stopped taking his medication and was slipping into crisis. Instead of getting him treatment, TJ ended up in jail. The case, involving TJ and his mother, Raven Hampton, highlights a gap between what Milwaukee County promises families facing a loved one’s mental illness and what actually happens when that person disengages from care.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, TJ’s parents warned the county that their son had stopped treatment before he experienced the mental health crisis that ultimately ended in jail rather than a hospital bed. The family’s account centers on a settlement agreement.
How Settlement Agreements Are Supposed to Work
Under Chapter 51 of Wisconsin’s civil commitment statutes, courts consider criteria for involuntary commitment, according to Justia Law. Settlement agreements have become increasingly common in the county’s mental health system.
TJ’s case raises a broader question: how counties respond when someone stops following a settlement agreement before a crisis escalates.
Civil Agreements and Criminal Cases
TJ’s case shows that a settlement agreement did not keep him out of jail after his crisis…