Q: What can I do, if anything, to help my daughter? I have been told that she is an adult and there is nothing I can do.
My daughter, age 23 and homeless, is a daily IV user of heroin (now laced with fentanyl) and is facing trial for felony drug charges on Sept. 23rd. I fear she may die before the trial! She has mental health issues from a very traumatic childhood, which lead her to drug use, and in my opinion is very vunerable in so many ways. She rarely has a phone for contact and does not correspond with her public defender between court dates, which have continued to be rescheduled since January 2019. And, unfortunately her boyfriend set unconditional bail for her, so she doesn't get tested for drug use. I have been amazed by this slow court process while watching my daughter deteriorate. Is there anyone I can talk to that will make a difference?
A: It's not clear what help you are looking for. You could certainly contact Human Services and see if they will pursue a civil commitment, but I do not know if she meets criteria for civil commitment or not.
A: You might try talking to a social worker. Adults can be civilly committed for involuntary chemical dependency treatment. Usually that follows a crisis admission to a hospital or detox center, on either a police or medical 72-hour emergency hold. You could also call the County Attorney's Office and speak with their lawyer(s) who prosecute civil commitment cases. You could learn a lot by researching civil commitment in Minnesota.
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