Question: Under what circumstances can an adult in the U.S. be committed involuntarily to a psychiatric institution?
A: if a police officer judges the person to be insane
B: if a psychiatrist says the person presents a danger to self or others
C: if relatives agree on commitment
D: if the person is always intoxicated
E: if the person hears voices
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This is article #11 in a series on Are You As Smart As A Behavioral Health Professional?
The correct answer is B - if a psychiatrist says the person presents a danger to self or others.
ReplyDeleteYes, in New York State this power is given to a psychiatrist under section 9:39 of the New York State Mental Hygiene Law. The hold is good for 48 hours and then the situation has to be reviewed by another psychiatrist and one of three things can happen: the patient's status is converted to voluntary and they can continue his/her hospitalization, the patient is converted to voluntary and they request discharge, the patient is still considered in danger and can be held another 15 days. These laws may vary somewhat from State to State, the the procedure is pretty much the sam in all the United States.
The criteria here is a bit different. They don't have to be a danger to themselves or others. They simply need to be deemed needing acute treatment in a facility.
ReplyDeleteAlso, police officers are able to detain people under the Mental Health Act if they deem them to be a risk...and then they need to be seen and certified by a doctor (doesn't have to be a psychiatrist). Also, our 15 day second period is 30 days.