What Is Required By A MH Prof. To Commit Someone?

Most of you already know I was exploited by a previous PDoc. I am still working through some things.

Does anyone know if it takes more than one doctor's signature to commit someone to a State Mental Hospital?

Back then, after the exploitation but while I was still on speaking terms with PerpDoc, he was insisting that I see a particular neurologist because PDoc thought I was having seizures. He also told me that he wanted me tell the neurologist positive things about PDoc. I could help get him referrals from the neurologist that way.

By then, I had already consulted with a new group of doctors, so I turned him down. I was suspicious of his motives. It was dawning on me that he might try to have me committed so that I would not report him. I thought that might be why he was insistent that I see the neurologist. When I refused, the PerpDoc had my drivers license revoked, lying, saying I had seizures, when there was no proof of that.

I had to go through several medical tests, including an EEG, to get my drivers license back. My new doctors were one and a half hours away from where I lived, one way. My attorney in L.A. was two and a half hours away. I could not get their help if I could not drive there.

All these years I have had this fear that PDoc was scheming to get me committed. Current T said something like...he didn't need two doctors to sign off on it, that he could have committed me all by himself.

Does anyone know what is required to commit someone to a State Mental Hospital in California? This happened around 1995.

It depends on your state. In my jurisdiction - it requires a hearing and court order.

ETA -sorry - did not see the in California part.

I live in the UK, so it might be different to how things are done in the US...

But from personal experience, I know that a mental health assessment has to be carried out by three professionals - a psychiatrist, a social worker, and a counsellor (?). I don't know what happens after that, but I know that that's how the ball gets rolling, and they will transfer you to the nearest hospital.

I don't know if that helps..

Thank you! Does it only require one doctor's opinion that a patient needs to be committed in California...would more doctors on his side make it easier to commit a patient?

I don't know why this is still bothering me.

It does help, thank you!

Hi Stopdog!

So in California- even if PDoc had initiated my commitment on his own, there would have been a hearing where my team could have opposed it?

I would have had an opportunity to present my side?

Commitment would have required more than the opinions of PDoc and the Neurologist that he wanted me to see?

Thank you so much.

I don't know about California. In my state - which is not near california - it takes a court hearing/order to commit someone. An alleged incompetent has a right to a jury trial if they choose or can proceed with a bench trial (no jury) and they have the right to testify and present evidence and the right to have an attorney appointed (automatic here when the hospital files its notice of involuntary hold).
There is a statutory set up - a hospital can hold some one for up to X hours without a court order - to hold someone longer - the hospital/dr must petition the court for an order to do so.

Assuming that Pdoc stands for a psychiatrist, yes, he could have committed you himself. Psychiatrists are medical doctors and, as MDs, they do have the authority to commit someone for the initial evaluation. From that point on, I believe, the hospital psychiatrist decides if the person should be on the 72-hr hold and then they could prolong it to 14 and then 21 days. Beyond that, the person cannot be held involuntarily without a court order.

Non-medical therapists cannot commit their clients. They can only breach confidentiality if they believe the person should be committed and call the PET team on them. The PET team may or may not come depending on how they see the case and whether they believe the emergency intervention is warranted.

What I said applied to CA. I don't know about other states.

Thank you, Ididitmyway,

Yes, the doctor in question is a psychiatrist. This happened in California. I'm sorry for being unclear.

It only takes one dr (or actually anyone can make an affidavit to get someone picked up and taken to the hospital by the police) for the initial up to 3 day involuntary hold - but the commitment is by court order only. The commitment then is for a specific number of days and the hospital has to keep going back at the end of each of the statutorily set amounts of time and request a continued hold - with the client being afforded an attorney, hearing/right to jury trial at each stage. Frankly in my jurisdiction - it does not take much for the first court order - courts usually err on the side of the involuntary commitment. I usually have to break it to my clients that unless the md is a complete **** up - or so arrogant they get in their own way - the court usually sides with them unless I have someone besides the client to testify- which often does not happen because the family wants the person drugged. Sometimes I can get a family member to testify that the md is wrong - which helps.

This relieves my mind. I had fears of him signing a document making me disappear for years. I didn't know I would have had access to an attorney..or any of it.

I don't know how many mental health professionals have to be involved, but I'm certain there has to be a hearing, and at the hearing theres a judge- adminstrative law judge, I believe, anbd two other court officials whose titles I don't know.

This "review" is initiated at the 14 day hold level and is certainly required for long term commitment to a state hospital. You would need to be a really severe case (with no family to intervene on your behalf) or a dangerous criminal for this to happen.

There was a place in los angeles..I forget the name of it but it starts with an M, that a friend of mine was forced into at age 14 because she was in foster care, a problem child, and on conservatorship with no family to speak of. They locked her up in there for THREE YEARS and she only got out at age 17 and moved to a level 14 facility as an "experiment" to see if she could function at that lower level of care for 6 months before being placed in a group home.

They only do **** like this when youre alone and no one is watching, or your family is pressing for it and you are incapable of holding a coherent conversation to defend yourself.

I doubt your ex pdoc could have gotten away with doing this to you.