1
P s y c h i a t r i c E m e r g e n c i e s
B r i t t a n y S k i n n e r
N R N P 6 6 7 5 : P M H N P C a r e A c r o s s t h e L i f e s p a n I I
A s h l e y L o c k h a r t
O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2 0 2 1
2
P s y c h ia tric E m e rg e n c ie s
W h e n it c o m e s to p s y c h ia tric e m e rg e n c ie s , th e ru le s v a ry b y s ta te . In th e s ta te o f
C a lifo rn ia , th e c rite ria fo r c e rta in m e n ta l h e a lth tre a tm e n ts w h e th e r th e y b e v o lu n ta ry o r n o t d iffe r
g re a tly fro m o th e r s ta te s . T h e p u rp o s e o f th is p a p e r is to d is c u s s th e la w s fo r in v o lu n ta ry
p s y c h ia tric h o ld s in C a lifo rn ia a s w e ll a s th e d iffe re n c e s in in p a tie n t a n d o u tp a tie n t c o m m itm e n ts .
T h e d iffe re n c e b e tw e e n c a p a c ity a n d c o m p e te n c y w ill b e d is c u s s e d a s w e ll a s d iffe re n t s u ic id e
a n d v io le n c e ris k a s s e s s m e n ts th a t c a n b e u s e d . L a s tly , w e w ill d is c u s s th e le g a l g u n la w s in th e
s ta te o f C a lifo rn ia fo r th o s e w ith p s y c h ia tric illn e s s .
In v o lu n ta r y P s y c h ia tr ic H o ld s
In th e s ta te o f C a lifo rn ia , a n in d iv id u a l c a n b e p u t o n a 7 2 -h o u r h o ld , o fte n c a lle d a “5 1 5 0 ”.
In o rd e r to b e p u t o n th is h o ld , d e s ig n a te d p e rs o n n e l m u s t b e lie v e th e re is p ro b a b le c a u s e th a t b e c a u s e o f a m e n ta l d is o rd e r th e p e rs o n is a h a rm to th e m s e lv e s o r o th e rs o r is g ra v e ly d is a b le d
a n d u n a b le to c a re fo r th e ir o w n b a s ic n e e d s . (A B -1 3 0 0 , 2 0 1 6 ) T h e d e s ig n a te d p ro fe s s io n a l
p e rs o n n e l th a t c a n p la c e a n in d iv id u a l o n a h o ld is a p o lic e o ffic e r, m e m b e rs o f a “m o b ile c ris is
te a m ” o r a m e n ta l h e a lth p ro fe s s io n a l a u th o riz e d b y th e ir c o u n ty . (N A M I, 2 0 1 5 ) In th is c a s e , a
P M H N P , p s y c h ia tris t, p s y c h o lo g is t o r o th e r m e n ta l h e a lth a tte n d in g is in c lu d e d . W ith c h ild re n ,
u n d e r th e a g e o f 1 8 y e a rs o ld , th e s a m e c rite ria a re in p la c e e x c e p t th a t b e fo re b e in g in v o lu n ta rily
c o m m itte d th e y firs t try to g e t a u th o riz a tio n fo r v o lu n ta ry c o m m itm e n t fro m th e ir le g a l g u a rd ia n .
(A B -8 2 , 2 0 1 3 ) T h e in d iv id u a l re g a rd le s s o f a g e m u s t b e a d v is e d o f th e ir rig h ts a n d th e re n e e d s to
b e p a p e rw o rk file d s ta tin g th e c irc u m s ta n c e s u n d e r w h ic h th e p ro fe s s io n a l th o u g h t th e c rite ria h a d
b e e n m e t fo r a h o ld . (N A M I, 2 0 1 5 )
W ith in th e 7 2 -h o u r h o ld , th e h o s p ita l o r fa c ility m u s t c o m p le te a n e v a lu a tio n , ta k in g in to
a c c o u n t m e d ic a l, p s y c h o lo g ic a l, e d u c a tio n a l, s o c ia l, fin a n c ia l a n d le g a l s itu a tio n . T h e in d iv id u a l
P s y c h i a t r i c E m e r g e n c i e s
B r i t t a n y S k i n n e r
N R N P 6 6 7 5 : P M H N P C a r e A c r o s s t h e L i f e s p a n I I
A s h l e y L o c k h a r t
O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2 0 2 1
2
P s y c h ia tric E m e rg e n c ie s
W h e n it c o m e s to p s y c h ia tric e m e rg e n c ie s , th e ru le s v a ry b y s ta te . In th e s ta te o f
C a lifo rn ia , th e c rite ria fo r c e rta in m e n ta l h e a lth tre a tm e n ts w h e th e r th e y b e v o lu n ta ry o r n o t d iffe r
g re a tly fro m o th e r s ta te s . T h e p u rp o s e o f th is p a p e r is to d is c u s s th e la w s fo r in v o lu n ta ry
p s y c h ia tric h o ld s in C a lifo rn ia a s w e ll a s th e d iffe re n c e s in in p a tie n t a n d o u tp a tie n t c o m m itm e n ts .
T h e d iffe re n c e b e tw e e n c a p a c ity a n d c o m p e te n c y w ill b e d is c u s s e d a s w e ll a s d iffe re n t s u ic id e
a n d v io le n c e ris k a s s e s s m e n ts th a t c a n b e u s e d . L a s tly , w e w ill d is c u s s th e le g a l g u n la w s in th e
s ta te o f C a lifo rn ia fo r th o s e w ith p s y c h ia tric illn e s s .
In v o lu n ta r y P s y c h ia tr ic H o ld s
In th e s ta te o f C a lifo rn ia , a n in d iv id u a l c a n b e p u t o n a 7 2 -h o u r h o ld , o fte n c a lle d a “5 1 5 0 ”.
In o rd e r to b e p u t o n th is h o ld , d e s ig n a te d p e rs o n n e l m u s t b e lie v e th e re is p ro b a b le c a u s e th a t b e c a u s e o f a m e n ta l d is o rd e r th e p e rs o n is a h a rm to th e m s e lv e s o r o th e rs o r is g ra v e ly d is a b le d
a n d u n a b le to c a re fo r th e ir o w n b a s ic n e e d s . (A B -1 3 0 0 , 2 0 1 6 ) T h e d e s ig n a te d p ro fe s s io n a l
p e rs o n n e l th a t c a n p la c e a n in d iv id u a l o n a h o ld is a p o lic e o ffic e r, m e m b e rs o f a “m o b ile c ris is
te a m ” o r a m e n ta l h e a lth p ro fe s s io n a l a u th o riz e d b y th e ir c o u n ty . (N A M I, 2 0 1 5 ) In th is c a s e , a
P M H N P , p s y c h ia tris t, p s y c h o lo g is t o r o th e r m e n ta l h e a lth a tte n d in g is in c lu d e d . W ith c h ild re n ,
u n d e r th e a g e o f 1 8 y e a rs o ld , th e s a m e c rite ria a re in p la c e e x c e p t th a t b e fo re b e in g in v o lu n ta rily
c o m m itte d th e y firs t try to g e t a u th o riz a tio n fo r v o lu n ta ry c o m m itm e n t fro m th e ir le g a l g u a rd ia n .
(A B -8 2 , 2 0 1 3 ) T h e in d iv id u a l re g a rd le s s o f a g e m u s t b e a d v is e d o f th e ir rig h ts a n d th e re n e e d s to
b e p a p e rw o rk file d s ta tin g th e c irc u m s ta n c e s u n d e r w h ic h th e p ro fe s s io n a l th o u g h t th e c rite ria h a d
b e e n m e t fo r a h o ld . (N A M I, 2 0 1 5 )
W ith in th e 7 2 -h o u r h o ld , th e h o s p ita l o r fa c ility m u s t c o m p le te a n e v a lu a tio n , ta k in g in to
a c c o u n t m e d ic a l, p s y c h o lo g ic a l, e d u c a tio n a l, s o c ia l, fin a n c ia l a n d le g a l s itu a tio n . T h e in d iv id u a l
