Conservatorship of E.B. CA3

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

E. stopped taking her psychiatric medications in March of 2014. By August 2014, she was admitted to Butte County Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF) under Welfare and Institutions Code section 5150 (unless otherwise stated, statutory references that follow are to the Welfare and Institutions Code), after she reported she “was often witnessing murders and kidnappers and hearing voices saying they were going to drug and rape her.” She remained at the PHF until September 8, 2014, when the hospital discharged her to a board and care facility. While there, she refused to take her medication, claimed she was allergic to all psychiatric medication, denied she had a mental illness, and maintained she did not need to take medication. She was readmitted to the PHF on September 17, after refusing to take her psychiatric medication. Dr. Kimura, the inpatient psychiatrist and medical director at PHF, testified as an expert familiar with E. Behavioral counselor Lauren Wong worked with E., and also testified as an expert. The Butte County public guardian, Dustina Woods, met with E. several times and was familiar with her from past conservatorships. Each witness concluded E.…