Can a doctor involuntarily commit a patient?

Clinical Points. All states have laws and procedures for ensuring that patients with psychiatric illness can be involuntarily evaluated and/or committed, and primary care physicians can involuntarily refer patients for psychiatric evaluation.

Can psychiatrist admit you to hospital?

Committing people to a hospital against their will is not only rare, it’s part of a process that involves the legal system. When a therapist is concerned a patient poses an imminent threat, the health care professional will typically try to convince the patient to enter a hospital voluntarily, Thase says.

Can my therapist put me in the hospital?

A therapist cannot admit you themselves but if you need it they will either ask you to call your psychiatrist or go to an emergency room. Your own doctor or an ER can admit, not a therapist who isn’t a doctor with the exception of someone who works on a mental health crisis team.

Can you be forced into a mental facility?

Adults usually have the right to decide whether to go to the hospital or stay at the hospital. But if they are a danger to themselves or to other people because of their mental state, they can be hospitalized against their will. Forced hospitalization is used only when no other options are available.

Can you be committed to a mental hospital against your will?

The answer is that you can be committed to a mental hospital against your will if you meet the criteria set forth by the state in which you live. The exact criteria can vary, but often includes the requirement that you must present a danger, either to yourself or others, before you can be committed.

Can a psychiatrist commit someone to a mental hospital?

Generally speaking, in most states, a psychiatrist and one other physician can commit someone if they can attest that the person is an immediate danger to themselves, or others. The admitting hospital also does an evaluation when they receive the patient.

How do I get my child committed to a mental hospital?

There are three typical paths to commitment: · A medical professional, such as a therapist or psychiatrist, can recommend your child be committed and file paperwork with a court to do so. · You can petition a court to have your child committed.

Can I force my adult child to enter a psychiatric hospital?

You can’t force an adult child to enter a psychiatric hospital; you can only offer incentives for her to go. You can, however, enlist the assistance of a court, therapist, or police officer to have your child committed against her will.