Free Johnathon Charles Ramos: A Victim of "Medication Madness."

In 2011, Johnathon at the age of 21 reached out for help from the San Luis Obispo Department of Mental Health where he was admitted. The following morning and after a mere 20 minute assessment by the doctor, Johnathon was prescribed the potent psychotropic antidepressant, Effexor, at the highest available dose! Effexor is not FDA approved for anyone under the age of 24 and is contradicted for his accurate diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder.

Following the mere 20 minute assessment, the San Luis Obispo County doctor released Johnathon from the San Luis Obispo County Mental Health and failed to observe him for any side effects. Johnathon was admitted for less than 21 hours which is an inadequate time frame to assess the response to Effexor.

The doctor failed to schedule follow-up and did not complete a suicide prevention plan when he discharged Johnathon. Taking the Effexor as prescribed, Johnathon was catapulted into a medication induced psychosis. The medication induced psychosis resulted in an acute suicidal and psychotic episode during which Johnathon attempted to take his own life where another individual sustained injuries that did not require hospitalization. We are beyond grateful that both are alive and healthy.

Unfortunately, the San Luis Obispo County's district attorney's office did not look at the facts and stigmatized and criminalized Johnathon. Also, as the doctor was a San Luis Obispo County provider working at the county mental health, the county had a vested interest to secure a conviction. After all, looking at the facts would mean the County was liable for a near wrongful death caused by the negligence of the county.

Johnathon is paying the price for the negligent mental health services he received while at the San Luis Obispo County Department of Mental Health. The carelessly prescibed Effexor caused the medication induced psychosis. Johnathon does not have a criminal record or history of any violence or psychosis. Quite the contrary, Johnathon is a loving, gentle, and caring, son, brother, cousin, nephew, grandson, and friend. Johnathon is a capable and contributing member of society. At the age of 22, Johnathon was inhumanely sentenced to an Indeterminate Life Sentence! He is in year 7 of this indeterminate life sentence and is incarcerated in a California State Prison.

We believe that truth always prevails and we also believe that justice should be based on truth. To prove what we have known for the past 7 years, we have finally been able to obtain DNA evidence which proves Johnathon is in fact a victim of medication induced psychosis caused by the Effexor prescribed by the San Luis Obispo Department of Mental Health.

In truth and justice , in hope and advocacy, and from the bottom of my heart I humbly ask you for your support and ask you to please sign our petition. As Johnathon's mother, affected family member, nurse, and community advocate, it it my mission to bring awareness about brain health and improve county mental health services in California.