Title: 
Headings: 
Involuntary
 
Mental
 
Health
 
Commitments
  

What
 
Is
 
an
 
Involuntary
 
Mental
 
Health
 
Commitment?
 

What
 
Happens
 
If
 
You
 
Have
 
Immediate
 
Need
 
for
 
Mental
 
Health
 
Treatment?
 
(Emergency
 
Process
 
for
 
Commitment)
 
Who
 
starts
 
the
 
process?
 

Is
 
there
 
anything
 
else
 
needed
 
for
 
Emergency
 
Commitment?
 

What
 
if
 
the
 
doctor
 
does
 
not
 
examine
 
you
 
within
 
24
 
hours
 
or
 
the
 
doctor
 
does
 
not
 
complete
 
a
 
Certification?
 

If
 
I
 
am
 
admitted
 
involuntarily
 
to
 
a
 
hospital,
 
how
 
long
 
must
 
I
 
stay
 
there?
 

What
 
happens
 
if
 
the
 
Court
 
finds
 
there
 
is
 
“probable
 
cause”?
 

What
 
Do
 
the
 
Results
 
From
 
the
 
Exam
 
Mean?
 

Can
 
I
 
ask
 
for
 
an
 
independent
 
DE?
 

If
 
there
 
is
 
a
 
hearing,
 
will
 
I
 
have
 
a
 
lawyer?
 

The
 
Full
 
Probate
 
Court
 
Hearing:
  
What
 
are
 
my
 
rights?
 

How
 
does
 
the
 
Court
 
decide
 
if
 
I
 
need
 
treatment?
 

Can
 
I
 
appeal
 
the
 
decision
 
the
 
Court
 
makes?
 

What
 
Happens
 
After
 
the
 
Hearing?
 

What
 
Should
 
I
 
Do
 
if
 
I
 
am
 
Being
 
Committed?
 

What
 
Are
 
My
 
Rights
 
to
 
Be
 
Released
 
After
 
Commitment?
 

What
 
Is
 
the
 
Difference
 
Between
 
the
 
Emergency
 
Commitment
 
Process
 
and
 
Judicial
 
Commitment
 
Processes?
  

Where
 
Can
 
I
 
Get
 
Help?
  


Content: A
 
medical
 
doctor
 
must
 
examine
 
you. The
 
doctor
 
must
 
certify
 
in
 
writing: You
 
have
 
a
 
mental
 
illness; Because
 
of
 
the
 
illness,
 
you
 
are
 
likely
 
to
 
cause
 
harm
 
to
 
yourself
 
or
 
others
 
unless
 
you
 
get
 
treatment
 
in
 
a
 
hospital; and
 


 
The
 
specific
 
reasons
 
why
 
you
 
are
 
likely
 
to
 
cause
 
harm
 
if
 
you
 
do
 
not
 
get
 
treatment. If
 
you
 
were
 
detained
 
by
 
law
 
enforcement,
 
the
 
doctor
 
must
 
examine
 
you
 
within
 
24
 
hours
 
of
 
being
 
taken
 
into
 
custody. If
 
the
 
doctor
 
finds
 
all
 
three
 
criteria
 
are
 
met,
 
the
 
doctor
 
must
 
complete
 
and
 
sign
 
a
 
document
 
called
 
a
 
“Certification.” Note: The
 
doctor
 
who
 
signs
 
the
 
Certification
 
must
 
be
 
different
 
from
 
the
 
individual
 
who
 
signed
 
the
 
Affidavit. If
 
both
 
the
 
Affidavit
 
and
 
the
 
doctor’s
 
Certification
 
are
 
completed,
 
they
 
authorize
 
you
 
to
 
be
 
admitted
 
involuntarily
 
to
 
a
 
psychiatric
 
hospital
 
for
 
further
 
evaluation
 
and
 
possible
 
treatment.