Young man desperate for mental health care released from jail with no treatment plan in place

A 20-year-old Vancouver Island man, who suffers from mental illness, has been released from jail but now worries about what will happen to him next.

"I just want to have a place where I can be monitored," said William Landeweer, still dressed in a jail sweatshirt and pants outside the courthouse in Victoria, B.C. 

Landeweer suffers from vivid thoughts of hurting himself and others.

Doctors have been unable to diagnose his illness but recommend treatment. 

Landeweer's grandmother says the story underscores the poor mental health services available for young people in British Columbia. 

"I see William who believes the system is going to help him, who believes that life is fair and I see him being failed at every turn by the mental health system in this province," said Carol Tysdal. 

"We found a hospital in Ontario. We're still looking into it. We're looking everywhere." 

Diagnostic conundrum 

In June 2016, Landeweer admitted himself to a Victoria psychiatric ward on the advice of a crisis line he called during one of his episodes.

He spent three weeks in hospital and was discharged with a prescription for anxiety medication. 

More recently, according to his lawyer, Kirk Karaszkiewicz, Landeweer was assessed by a court-appointed psychiatrist.

"That psychiatrist's report resulted in the language to the effect that 'it's a diagnostic conundrum'. There was no definitive diagnosis," said Karaszkiewicz.  

"It seems without a diagnosis nobody steps up with a course of treatment."  

Jail time 

In September 2016, Landeweer pleaded guilty to one count of uttering threats.

"The threat that he uttered — to the police by the way — was that he had a feeling and an urge that he had to kill his stepbrother," said Karaszkiewicz.

A provincial court judge sentenced Landeweer to a conditional discharge.

"That means at the conclusion of his three year probation, if he doesn't get into trouble, that initial charge would be dropped," said Karaszkiewicz. 

In December, Landeweer had another urge and called police again. 

"He told the police, as I understand it, I have this urge and I'll be outside the house and I have a knife in my hand and that's where you will find me," said Karaszkiewicz. 

The police responded and arrested Landeweer — not for uttering a threat but for breach of probation.

According to Karaszkiewicz, Landeweer's probation conditions stipulate he is not allowed to have a knife except for eating food. 

Landeweer pleaded guilty to the breach and was held in the Vancouver Island Regional Correction Centre until his release on Wednesday. 

"It's been a hard 30 days. I'm just relieved to see my grandmother again and I can't wait to see my family," said Landeweer.

He remains on probation and will live with his grandparents in Ladysmith, B.C. 

Broken promise 

"We don't want, as grandparents and 70-year-olds, to have to be the jailer and psychiatrist for our grandson because there are no mental health treatment beds available," said Tysdal. 

Tysdal blames the provincial government for the lack of care for her grandson and countless others. 

"This government promised 500 new mental health beds. They have not delivered. People have to hold them accountable," she said. 

Tysdal is planning a day of action on May 6 to bring attention to people with mental illness in the prison system. 

"It's like the 18th century out there in terms of mental health care in British Columbia. We should be ashamed of ourselves."