[Magdalen] Washington Post article on involuntary hospitalization of the mentally ill

[James Oppenheimer-Crawford]

In most situations, the standard is two physicians (generally
psychiatrists) sign off on the patient being dangerous to himself or to
others.  The patient is held for a period of 72 hours, during which the
professionals decide whether or not to apply for a court commitment. At
both of those junctures, the patient often simply elects to become a
voluntary commitment.  The court can commit for up to 90 days, I believe.
The State pays attorneys to represent the patients, and yes, they sometimes
do in fact get the patient released when the State pros would have
preferred to keep them, but generally everyone tries very hard to have a
meeting of the minds.

The time when the patient really truly is trying to be released and the
State is resisting, there is usually a very debilitating mental illness
making the patient unable to discern their need for care and protection.
Generally the patient is a danger to themselves, not to others. I wish Mr.
Hopkins would publicly acknowledge that his role is utterly fictitious.
Some folks think his character is typical. It's not.  At all, at all.

James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better
for people coming behind you, and you don’t do it, you're wasting your time
on this Earth.”  -- *Roberto Clemente

On Fri, Feb 13, 2015 at 12:51 PM, Kate Conant <kate.conant at gmail.com> wrote:

> The biggest problem I see with commitment laws is that they are
> discriminate treatment of the so-called "mentally ill".  They have the
> court system deciding what someone's "diagnosis" is and then shafting them
> for it.  Brain disorders are medical disorders.
>
> Kate
>
> "What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love mercy, and walk
> humbly with your God?"
> Micah 6:8
>
> On Wed, Feb 4, 2015 at 8:04 PM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
> oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > "...no good can come out of the Iowa Writers' Workshop
> > ​"​
> > .
> >
> > Might be a short story in there struggling to get out.
> >
> > James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> > *“If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things
> better
> > for people coming behind you, and you don’t do it, you're wasting your
> time
> > on this Earth.”  -- *Roberto Clemente
> >
>