Usa "wellness checks"...what happens?

[EveHarrington]

Just wondering what happens in a "wellness check"?

I had one called on me today just because I took a long nap and didn't answer my phone. The person told me I needed to leave my phone on in order to avoid this in the future. As someone who has terrible insomnia, is on a ton of text lists and currently gets a lot of unwanted calls, this simply isn't going to happen. I'd never sleep! (And I don't want to be a slave to my phone.)

I woke up in time and had the wellness check called off.

I do not trust the cops. As a mentally ill person I know they can haul me in for no reason at all. If they want to. Which would be ironic in a way given how my recent (2 months ago) suicide attempt and 4 day recovery in the hospital didn't even earn me a spot in the psych ward.

But anyway, I'm writing to ask what happens on a wellness check. I may not be able to schmooze my way out of getting hauled in by a heavy handed cop, but ya better believe I could schmooze the ER docs and I'd be let go in a few hours. I'd just like to avoid such a situation altogether.

I just want to know what happens on a wellness check so that I don't drive myself crazy thinking about it and make myself overly anxious for no reason.

I do know this incident is going to spike my insomnia as I'll fear falling asleep. :-(

 

[Suzetig]

In the U.K. the police would simply want to see that you were alive and well - no other agenda and if you answered the door, looked ok and were coherent they'd leave you be, maybe with a bit of a chat about where to get help if you're struggling.

 

[whiteraven]

I kept reading this as "wellness chick." I could not for the life of me figure out what the heck a wellness chick was. I think I need some sleep myself!

Same thing goes for the US, pretty much, I think, although it could vary by region and whether or not you are known to them. Police stop by, chat with you a little, make sure you don't look or sound like you might be in any distress. Make sure you know how to get help if you need it.

 

[Nessa7]

I'd get into the mindset that it isn't scary. Most police officers aren't going to want to take someone to the hospital that doesn't need to. It's more paperwork. I would pretend they're a regular unwanted guest. Being frightened is more likely to give them a reason to be concerned about you.

 

[EmmaOwl]

I had one called on me today just because I took a long nap and didn't answer my phone. The person told me I needed to leave my phone on in order to avoid this in the future. As someone who has terrible insomnia, is on a ton of text lists and currently gets a lot of unwanted calls, this simply isn't going to happen. I'd never sleep!

This is ridiculous. You need to leave your phone on when you sleep? Who DOES that? Especially w/ insomnia problems... Did you tell that to anyone, that you need quiet to get what sleep you can? I have all kinds of little setups (blackout curtains, ringer on my bedroom landline is ALWAYS off, etc.) It is so difficult to get enough sleep, as it is, without all kinds of nonsense calls - I don't know about you, but I'm always getting stupid sales calls or scams. Or sometimes a doctor's office will call to confirm 2 or 3 times. A text when a package is delivered.... OH you know. I can't imagine being asked to do that.

 

[EmmaOwl]

Same thing goes for the US, pretty much, I think, although it could vary by region and whether or not you are known to them.

I never heard of this. Do they have a list of people who live alone with disability, or something? I cannot imagine a police officer showing up at my front door like that.

 

[NewBeginnings]

I had to call in a wellness check on a couple of different occasions.- not sure what prompted yours but once I called one in on my mom who lives in another state and a post office in another town called me (her cell phone was in the purse) to say that her purse was found in a mailbox in the city. She is diabetic and had meds in her purse - She lives alone and did not answer her phone for over 6 hours - I was worried. The police were super helpful and said they would go by her house and make sure she was ok. Well she was fine and super angry at me that I would ever consider calling to check in her. That was 8 months ago and she is still holding it against me.

Another time, I had to call one in for a man who also lived alone and was last scene walking around a city/town at 4 am barefoot, bleeding and could not be reached the next day- in that case the police knew who I was calling on and told me he was getting the help he needed. (Yes he had admitted himself because he was a danger to himself)

Anyway- someone cares. In the US someone has to contact the police for them to go. And it is does sound ridiculous to be asked to leave your phone on. I don't think you have to fear wellness checks but it sounds like a frightening experience and sorry you had to experience it. If you learn who called maybe share that you appreciate the care but this method wasn't helpful.

 

[scout86]

In the area where I live, there have been a couple of incidents in the past year where someone called to request a 'wellness check' on a person they were concerned might be suicidal, and law enforcement ended shooting (and killing) the person they were supposed to be checking on.

Basically, the person in question had a weapon, refused to put it down, and got shot as a result. Kind of makes me glad there's no one who worried about me!

 

[EmmaOwl]

In the area where I live, there have been a couple of incidents in the past year where someone called t...

I would not dare to comment on any specific situation. But - there is such a thing known as "suicide by cop". Horrific, gut-wrenching, and the wording might sound callous... but it is far from unknown.

 

[whiteraven]

I never heard of this. Do they have a list of people who live alone with disability, or something? I c...

Oh, the only time I know that they occur around here is when someone calls the police about someone they are concerned about. Or I know in some smaller communities, there are some elderly folks that police check on regularly. I happen to know about it because my job called the police to check on me once when I didn't show up for work (except I had actually arranged to be off that day, and they did it as a kind of sneaky way of getting it on record that I was mentally unstable, but I had, as I said, planned personal time off AND had notified 2 people that I would not be in that day). I know that in some cases it can and is used inappropriately against the person.

 

[EveHarrington]

This is ridiculous. You need to leave your phone on when you sleep? Who DOES that? Especially w/ insom...

The person is the one who found me after my attempt 2 months ago, so that's where it's coming from. I can't blame them. It was upsetting to wake up and see the "I'm calling 911" text on my phone, but I got over my anger pretty quickly. The fear is still there though and my insomnia and nightmares have spiked. I'm hoping I can sleep better tonight.

 

[EveHarrington]

In the area where I live, there have been a couple of incidents in the past year where someone called t...

I don't fear anything like this, thank goodness! Everyone I know knows I'm anti-gun and there are no guns in the house, no knives other than kitchen cutlery, and no weapons of any other kind. The fear is harm by overdose as I've had several serious overdoses in the past (but this last one was the first in over 8 years).