Advocacy Resources
- Health Record Authorization Release Form 7385 gives someone outside the ability to get information about you from CDCR’s California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), including access to your medical and custody records and the ability to speak with someone at the prison about your health via phone calls, emails, or faxes with this information.
- CDCR 7421 Advance Directive is a document that allows you to write your wishes about end-of-life care. It allows you to say what you want so that family, friends, doctors, nurses, and other health care staff will know for sure what you want if you can no longer speak for yourself (for example: “I don’t want CPR (to be revived) or a breathing machine if my heart stops or I cannot breathe on my own. If I cannot eat on my own, a feeding tube is okay.”). It also allows you to name someone as your Medical Decision-Maker to make health care choices for you if there comes a time when you cannot physically advocate for yourself. They can tell others about your wishes for treatment at the end of life and make sure they are followed.
- The Advance Directive is NOT a “Will” and has NOTHING to do with your possessions or assets inside or outside of prison
- Please note: PAN/your PAN advocate cannot serve as a Medical Decision-Maker on your behalf.
- CDCR 7465 POLST is short for Physicians Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment. This form is in addition to form CDCR 7421 Advance Directive form. The POLST is a form used by all hospitals in California (and other states) and is used to write a patient’s wishes about end-of-life care. Ask your counselor or health care provider for one.
- Jailhouse Lawyer’s Handbook
- Prison Resource Guide
- Why Solitary Confinement is Modern-Day Torture (animated video)
- CDCR Forms
- Citizen Complaint Form 2142
- Judicial Council Letter on 1170(d)
- CDCR New Grievance Program
Additional resources
If you are looking for resources regarding:
- Coronavirus in California prisons, please check out the PAN COVID-19 resource page.
- Non-Designated Programming Facilities (NDPF) in California prisons, please check out our NDPF resource page.
