LA PSYCH
Pilot Episode
JENNIFER (think Jennifer Garner in “Miracles from Heaven) and James (think Jason Bateman), father to JAYDEN (6-year-old blonde girl) and their 1-year-old son, JORDAN arrive at an elementary school where Jayden is walking in circles. The Vice-Principal is furious! And the District Psychologist.
“I had to take out everything from my office!” The Vice-Principal, breathes hard.
“You don’t sound so calm,” Jennifer sighs, sarcastically.”
We hear hysterical laughing coming from inside the office.
“What happened?” James asks.
“Come on, you know what happened,” Jennifer scowls at him. “She went crazy and they can’t handle it!” Jennifer directs her anger toward the Vice-Principal. “You’re always telling me to be calm. You don’t look so come right now? I’m very calm.”
“We just called the Sheriff,” the VP states, angrily. “Your daughter was running through the halls, in and out of classrooms, and banging on windows…”
“Jayden! Who’s in there with you?”
“The District Psychologist is in with her right now. She’s trying to get her to draw.”
“Daddy! Jayden calls out from inside the office. It’s ‘Magical 61’ and she’s dancing!”
Everyone around the office shares looks of disbelief when the Sheriff finally arrives. Then when they open the door we get our first look at Jayden, a wiry, little girl with blonde curls.
“I can’t take this little girl in my car?” All are speechless until he speaks again,” but I think I do know who can.”
“What’s going on,” Jennifer’s anger subsides, and she’s completely serious, turning to the District Psychologist.
“What you’re seeing,” she sighs, “… “is typical schizophrenia.”
***
A Divorced Mother, in her 30s/40s, is watching over her son, CHRIS (11), flailing around, tied to a gurney. She is the only one, besides the Nurse who are viewing his episode as he is chomping down on all parts of his body that are exposed. After the biting subsides, the Mother tells the Nurse that she is so upset that he was given Abilify because it has made him WORSE! She knows it works for some kids… even some adults, but NOT for her son.
The Nurse eyes her, suspiciously. She doesn’t know what to believe. This mother has been in here so many times. Maybe her son is acting this way because of the divorce, or even her? Plus, as she’s the doctor has ordered the Abilify to be raised. Maybe it just needs time to work?
“Here’s what I can do?” the Nurse tells her, as his mother’s eyes open wide. “I can give him his second dosage of Abilify right now, while he’s calm, and see his reaction.
“Thank you,” his mother cries, two sets of tears; one because of this horrific illness that has been making her son worse than he already was and the real tragedy… that she has to convince her son to take a medication that both of them know will put him through HELLISH NIGHTMARE where he will feel the pain surging through his body, just to prove that it’s doing more harm than good.
Chris knows what is coming. He and his mother share a strong hug. “I’ll take it.”
A few minutes later, his hands start ramping up, jerking the gurney as his head is pounding the pillow. The Mother protects him from both sides, and the Nurse just maintains her cool. “Just calm down, Chris. You’re going to be okay.”
She looks over at the Mother, a bit-teary-eyed, as blood drips from part of his neck that scratched the metal gurney. “I’m crossing it off the list the list,” she nods, like this is just another day.
***
We go to the unit where KENI, a 14-year-old girl, diagnosed with Autism, Developmental Delays and sever depression, is visiting with her SOCIALITE PARENTS, dressed in formal attire. “Don’t worry, sweetie, her mother says. “
“It’s true,” her father echoes, somberly.
“But it’s no reason to run into the street. You could have gotten hit by a car!” Her mother talks to her like she’s 4, rather than 14, but in some cases… We’ll be back to visit tomorrow night. You just have to get better. “Someday, you’ll be just like your sister and get a lead role in a real movie!”
“It’s not that…”
“Look, she was here before too. She got better. You probably just need to go up on your anti-depressant.”
***
Jason, calmly frantic, as he follows a Hispanic man and woman from the Psychiatric Emergency Team (PET Team) into the back ward in LA Psych’s Emergency Room. There are two older male patients, one shouting extremities, while the other shouting back at him to “Shut Up!” It is no environment for a child, but psychosis dictates to the environment to where you go. Not the other way around. The entire family will remain there before intake into the West Wing is admitted. This is where we’re first introduced to Dr. Allen who sees Jayden talking to her “Imaginary Friends” who are clearly hallucinations to everyone watching.
Hours later, they are admitted upstairs for the intake process. First, Jayden is wheeled onto the unit by Dr. Allen, while the family follows and rehashes what just happened that brought them there in the first place. This is also where we meet Caroline for the first time. She’s is anxious as she brings them into the observation room where Jayden will stay for 3 days while the staff decides what medication is best suited for her.
The next day, we are inside the Big Conference Room for the “TEAM MEETING.” Morning Rounds (where doctors report on their visit to their patients) and brainstorm solutions, introduces us to Doctors: Hyde, Dieter, Beta, and Rose; as well as Chief Social Worker Georgia and her training replacement, Daniella, Trevor, and Caroline.
The main discussion is on Christopher, an 11-year-old boy diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. He tried to stab his mom and tried to stab her hand with a fork. This was the last straw. Although, he’s been hospitalized there before they’ve never come up with the right cocktail to keep him from “acting out.” And the insurance company is now refusing for longer stays, other than the traditional 3-days. The only way to keep him there is to try a new medication. And preferably, one new to the marketplace. This will keep the pharmaceutical companies happy.
Dr. Hyde’s opinion is that his diagnosis is wrong and that he has a Mood Disorder and needs Lithium, a tried and true medication. Dr. Dieter disagrees but gives in… this time. Dr. Kim is desperate for her patient, Christopher to have more time on the unit. They’ve tried another ADHD medicine and although he talks more on it, he’s so impulsive that if he goes into a “meltdown,” anything closest too him becomes the nearest weapon.
Dr. Beta feels Emily’s pain and tells her, apathetically, that she’s going to have to get the insurance company’s approval to keep him here longer. She sighs, being on the phone half the day is not what she signed up for.
Georgia brings up another problem, Keni. “She can’t remain on the adolescent unit with Chris coming in,” she shakes her head.
“Yeah, apparently Abilify causes more than gambling addiction,” Trevor, jokes. No one laughs. “Sorry,” he says. “Look, my Dad’s on it and so far, it’s the only thing working. Look, he hasn’t been back in how many months?”
Caroline looks over at him, and bats her eye as he mouths, a “WOOPS.”
“Sometimes, adults respond differently to medications and we still don’t know all the side-effects of the new ones. This is why it’s good to find out, now instead of later, when it’s too late,” Dr. Hyde states. “And, we have a new case who just came in last night. She is on the children’s unit, but she’s not alone. Her “imaginary friends” are there too. The good news is that she and Keni are getting along beautifully. Keni sees Jayden as a little doll sister. They both have younger brothers so they have that in common too.
The following day, while Jayden is talking about her imaginary rats, Keni confides that she has “imaginary friends,” too, but she’s afraid to tell anyone. Sometimes they even tell her to run out into the street. This is why she was brought here by her mother, against her father’s wishes. He feels that he can help her depression through bonding and cannot accept that there is something wrong with her brain. This is where we meet Kristen and Gillian for the first time. And Keni already has the lowdown on Kristen and. “But Gillian is super nice,” she tells Jayden.
The ALARM SOUNDS! It’s Christopher going crazy on the adolescent unit. His Mom is there and Trevor along with a couple other male nurses are trying to subdue him. They pull down his pants to get a Thorazine shot in his buttocks. It takes a few minutes, but soon he is back to normal. Dr. Kim is relieved because, now, she won’t have to go through a long, drawn-out conversation with the insurance company. This incident has just bought him another 3 days.
At the end of the pilot episode, Caroline is shaking in Trevor’s arms. This was her first time witnessing a restraint this severe. “Why can’t they help him.”
“They will,” Trevor reassures her, holding her close to his chest. “Some patients are just harder to treat than others.”
It's a public school, idiot. It's not a private school for special re.tarded snowflakes. They're going to do the legal minimum to get that poor drugged into stupor child out the door before she's 21. Maybe they would be more inclined to do more for her if she didn't have a shrieking harpy of a mother insisting her child should be in lab classes with the non-sped kids, and making YouTube videos over every little thing. 
Yeah we'll just go with that