I have lived in 15 different states and in all those states it was a legal law with the police that it is illegal for a person to be a danger to themself and or others.

Those that are suicidal, homicidal or have intent to harm themself are arrested, transported to the local ER for psychological evaluation for possible involuntary commitment.

In each of those 15 states I was police escourted to a local ER and was involuntarily committed and informed that it was a nation wide crime to be a danger to oneself and or others.

Just 5 years ago I was sitting in a court room listening to my fate being dicussed by lawyers, judges and mental health consultants as to whether or not to commit me because I had intentionally stabbed myself in the leg with a pencil and intentionally took a knife and cut my finger, and intentionally burned my fingers to various degrees.

That judge once again told me that in The USA it is a crime to be a danger to oneself and others and self injury does fall into that catagory which was why they were discussing my options in court.

Here they don't mess around therapists are required by law and mental health guidelines to refer anyone with fresh cuts within a 24 hour time period of seeing their therapist.

Each therapy agency has protocals on how to handle self injurer and suicidals depending on the severity and if the therapist feels that person is still in "active" stage. meaning the therapist knows that the client is going to act on those thoughts.

Sometimes the protocals are that the client must sign a contract. This is done for two reasons - so that the agency has something in writing that will give grounds to commitment in the future should the client beak that contract. Contracts are legal and binding be it verbal or written. By having the person sign a contract a therapist can should the person accidentally do serious harm resulting in the agency being sued and so on the therapist and agency are covered in court because they held up their end and did something about it - had the person sign a contract and informed the client of the ramifications should they break that contract. The second reason some therapist agencies have "contracts" first is because sometimes that is all the client needs to at least get them to try to fight the urges.

LL asked me to sign a contract that I would not kill myself or harm myself. I told her no. I know that I am not ever going to actively try to kill myself again and I know that I am a self injurer and a piece of paper is not going to stop me form doing so, only I can control whether I cut or not. I also told her that yea I know the agency protocal and the state and nationwide laws about these two issues becaus eI have experienced the legal end of it more times then not which is why I do not show my therapists any cuts that have been done within the nation wide legal 24 hour time period. Contacting your local and or state police department will give you the information about this law.

To fulfill her agency requirement I signed a contract stating that I would not harm her or myself during therapy sessions. That way she has nothing in writing stating I will not cut outside of my therapy sessions so if say I cut today and she sees the cut friday she has nothing to fulfill the legal grounds for involluntary commitment.

Contacting your state board of certified and or licensed clinical social workers and or your state board of physicians will give you the information about how and what types of protocals your states mental health and medical health fields set up around this nationwide law.

Talking with your therapist will give you the information of the protocals that your specific therapy agency and therapist must do about suicidal and self injury behavior.