01/23/2026
Today Drew and Jill were at Orange County Jail completing a forensic mental health evaluation for a patient represented by Bogin, Munns & Munns, P.A.
The individual evaluated presents with symptoms of psychosis and mood-disordered behavior—conditions that are frequently misunderstood and often intersect with the criminal justice system.
Some important context:
Psychotic disorders can involve symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and impaired insight. Mood disorders—such as bipolar disorder or severe depression—can significantly affect emotional regulation, impulse control, and judgment. When these conditions go untreated or destabilized, individuals are at increased risk for crisis situations that can lead to arrest rather than care.
This is the third time Beachside has worked on this case.
In the first two outcomes, the patient was placed in long-term residential treatment, where the focus was:
• Psychiatric stabilization
• Medication evaluation and adherence
• Psychoeducation
• Skill development for long-term functioning
Each time, meaningful progress was made.
However, this case also highlights a well-documented and difficult reality in mental health treatment:
- Discontinuing psychiatric medication significantly increases the risk of symptom relapse for both psychotic and mood disorders.
- High-potency THC, including many edible cannabis products, has been shown in research to worsen psychosis, increase paranoia, destabilize mood, and interfere with the effectiveness of psychiatric medications—especially in individuals with a history of psychotic or bipolar-spectrum disorders.
- Even with a “medical” ma*****na card, cannabis use can be clinically contraindicated for certain diagnoses.
When medication is stopped and high-dose THC is introduced, the risk of decompensation and re-arrest rises sharply—not because of moral failure, but because of untreated brain-based illness.
This is where forensic mental health advocacy matters.
At Beachside Recovery Interventions + Consulting, we work at the intersection of mental health, treatment systems, and the legal process, helping courts and attorneys understand:
• What is clinically happening
• What has worked before
• What is most likely to reduce future harm and recidivism
Recovery is rarely linear. Progress still counts—even when setbacks happen.
We remain committed to solutions that prioritize treatment over punishment and stability over cycles of incarceration for those deemed psychologically appropriate.
