How can I report medical or mental health concerns about someone in Los Angeles County jail?
For healthcare concerns requiring immediate assistance involving someone in LASD custody, call the Medical Command Center at 213-893-5544. The LASD Custody page lists this emergency healthcare contact as available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. State the concern and provide the person's name, date of birth, booking number, and facility when known.
For nonurgent medical history or medication information, follow the official Inmate Medication Information Form and submission instructions linked from the Custody page. Confirm the receiving office before sending sensitive records. For help locating the person or obtaining a booking number, call inmate information at 213-473-6100.
Independent information: This website is not affiliated with LASD or jail healthcare providers. We cannot assess a person's condition, arrange treatment, receive reports for the jail, or forward medical records to custody staff.
Report Urgent Concerns by Telephone
If you believe the person needs immediate medical or mental health attention, call 213-893-5544. Do not wait for a visiting appointment, a response to written correspondence, or an online inmate record to appear.
Explain what makes the concern urgent. Describe what you observed or were told, when it happened, and the person's last known location. If the person has expressed an intention to harm themselves or someone else, communicate that clearly and relay their words as accurately as possible.
You do not need to diagnose the problem. Distinguish your observations from information received from others and explain anything uncertain. Provide the identifying details you have without delaying the call to collect every item.
If you are at the jail, notify the nearest staff member immediately. If speaking with the person by telephone, encourage them to alert nearby custody or healthcare staff while you report the concern.
Confirm Which Agency Holds the Person
Use the LASD Inmate Information Center or call 213-473-6100 for location assistance. Record the booking number and facility when available. If the location is unknown during an urgent report, explain that and provide the identifying information you have. For search problems, see what to do when someone does not appear in the inmate search.
LASD's process concerns people in its custody. If a city police jail, another county, a state prison, federal agency, or juvenile facility holds the person, contact that agency for its healthcare reporting channel.
Prepare Clear, Relevant Information
Use the following details to help staff identify the person and understand the concern. Identify any information you cannot confirm.
| Information | What to provide | Helpful detail |
|---|---|---|
| Identity and location | Full name, date of birth, booking number, and facility when known. | Include housing details if available. |
| Current concern | Symptoms, behavior, statements, or difficulties being reported. | Explain when the concern began and when you last had contact. |
| Relevant history | Known diagnoses, recent treatment, hospitalizations, and significant prior health or safety concerns. | Use dates and distinguish documented history from your understanding. |
| Medication information | Prescribed medication names, doses, schedules, and known allergies or adverse effects. | State the source and whether the current prescription information is confirmed. |
| Outside treatment contacts | The treating clinician, pharmacy, or recent treatment facility when relevant. | Provide contact information for verification. |
| Your contact details | Your name, relationship to the person, and callback number. | Explain whether supporting records are available. |
For example, “During our call this afternoon, she said she had not received her prescribed medication” identifies the source and timing of the information. Report the statement and known prescription details without assuming you can confirm what treatment has been provided.
Use the Official Process for Written Information
On the LASD Custody page, find “Information for Arrested Special Needs – Medical, Physical, Mental Illness,” then go to “STEP FOUR: SEND A FAX” for the Inmate Medication Information Form in English or Spanish and the published submission instructions. Confirm the receiving details before sending medical information.
- Open the official guidance and applicable form.
- Complete the person's identifying information and your contact details.
- Provide relevant medical history, prescriptions, treatment contacts, and current concerns.
- Confirm the receiving number or submission channel for the person's location and the type of information.
- Send the information as instructed and retain a copy and transmission confirmation.
The published guidance distinguishes recipients for mental health information and other healthcare information, including arrangements outside regular hours. Ask whether more than one recipient is needed if your report covers both.
Keep the submission focused on health information. The guidance advises against including arguments about pending criminal charges.
A successful transmission does not establish that a clinician has reviewed the information. Ask how to confirm receipt by the responsible team. For concerns requiring immediate assistance, use the Medical Command Center telephone contact rather than relying on written delivery.
Providing Information Does Not Automatically Authorize Updates
LASD's family guidance explains that healthcare staff can receive information from relatives or friends even when they cannot disclose the person's health information in return. Reporting a concern does not automatically give you access to diagnoses, medical records, or treatment updates.
If the person wants staff to communicate with you, ask the healthcare team about its authorization or consent process. Being a spouse, parent, or emergency contact does not by itself establish unrestricted access.
Outside records and family observations can help staff understand the person's history. The treating team must still assess the person and determine appropriate care; sending information does not guarantee a particular medication, housing placement, or treatment decision.
Share sensitive records through the designated official channel, rather than posting them publicly or sending them to this website.
Report Medication Concerns and Request Verification
If your concern involves missed medication, provide the prescribed schedule, last dose if reliably known, and prescribing clinician or pharmacy. Ask how to submit prescription records for verification.
Do not mail, deliver, or pass medication to the person unless responsible staff specifically direct you to an authorized process. A visiting appointment or ordinary inmate-mail address does not authorize medication delivery.
Eyeglasses, orthopedic footwear, and other medical items follow separate approval and receiving procedures; see the medical items section of our County Jail page.
Keep a Record and Confirm the Next Step
After making a report, keep:
- The date and time of the call or submission.
- The office contacted and staff name or reference number, if provided.
- A copy of the information submitted.
- Any transmission or delivery confirmation.
- The follow-up instructions and contact details provided.
Ask whether the information reached the correct team, whether additional records are needed, and how to provide new information. An absence of a callback does not establish that no action occurred; privacy requirements may limit what staff can disclose.
If you learn of a significant change, report the new information and identify your previous submission. If the person moves to another facility, confirm the location and ask whether the receiving healthcare team needs the information resubmitted.
For broader custody services, see our County Jail page.
Reporting channels and facility arrangements may change. Follow current official instructions and direct health concerns to the responsible custody healthcare team. Messages and medical documents submitted to this website do not reach LASD or jail healthcare staff.