lecture four--legal and ethical issues in psych

Question 1

involuntary commitment and due process

Answer 1

involuntary commitment is invoked when someone is a danger to themselves or others, gravely disabled d/t their condition, or in need of treatment but the illness prevents them from seeking such treatment. It can also be an emergency admission, used for observation, or a court ordered stay.

pts. have the writ of habeus corpus when they are involuntarily committed, which means that they can challenge any action or hold on them that they believe does not have just cause.

another component of due process with involuntary commitment is using the least restrictive measures.