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

[Kate Conant]

I know the details, but that doesn't make it right.  I don't know what
other diseases make one "eligible" for involuntary confinement.  This just
highlights the societal prejudice (and that is just as true among the
medical community--at least around here).

"What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love mercy, and walk
humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:8

On Fri, Feb 13, 2015 at 7:12 PM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
> > >
> >
>