Involuntary
No Fee
FAQ
What
is Involuntary Commitment?
This is the process used in a probate
court to help a person who may be mentally ill and harmful to self or others
and refuses to seek treatment.
How
do I know if a person is mentally ill?
First, watch the
person's behavior carefully. If the behavior only occurs when the person has been taking drugs or
using alcohol, the problem could be substance abuse, not mental illness.
However, if the
behavior is continuous, and if the person threatens or actually harms him/herself or others, you may contact the Probate
Court where the person resides or is found.
If you have been
unable to get treatment for the person at a clinic or agency with a mental
health professional, you may call the
If the emergency
occurs after business hours, you can call the 24-hour Emergency Telephone
service at (313) 224-7000. They will immediately refer you to a mental
health facility.
What
will the Court’s
Court staff will
verify that you personally observed the behavior and that it happened
recently. You will be asked to describe the behavior in detail.
Court staff will
also want to know the individual's substance abuse habits. If the problem
is determined to be substance abuse related, you will be referred to an agency
in your area.
You will also be
asked whether every effort has been made to get the person to voluntarily seek
help.
What
if the person needs further evaluation?
Court staff will
tell you to come in person to Room 1305, Coleman A. Young Municipal Center,
1. What
specific symptoms and behaviors the person is displaying.
2. What
harmful or threatening behavior to him/herself or others did the person
demonstrate that concerns you.
Petitions can be
filed between
You will be
asked to complete a Petition/Application for Hospitalization.
Court staff will
prepare a Supplemental Petition to Application for Hospitalization and Order
for Examination. You will then be sent to a Probate Judge (in the
same building) where your petition will be heard. If the Judge signs the
Order to authorize a psychiatric evaluation, you will then return to the
Where
will the person be taken?
The police will
take the person to one of two crisis centers:
What
happens at the crisis center hospital?
The hospital
will perform a psychiatric evaluation within 24 hours and will decide whether
the person needs treatment.
What
if the hospital determines that the person does not require hospitalization?
If the person
does not require hospitalization, or is diagnosed as having a substance abuse
problem, the hospital will release the person. Sometimes the hospital
will recommend outpatient treatment.
And if the person is diagnosed as requiring treatment?
Then the person
will be sent to a designated hospital for necessary care.
Who
makes the decision to hospitalize the person for psychiatric treatment?
The hospital
director and the Court are authorized to recommend hospitalization or release.
How
long will the person be
kept in the treatment facility?
The Court may
order up to 60 days of treatment on the initial admission order, but the
hospital makes the final decision.
Yes. The
hospital may petition the Court for continued treatment. The Court will
then hold a hearing to decide whether to grant the petition or discharge the
patient.
IMPORTANT:
The person who originally filed the petition must attend the hearing.
If you need more
information about getting help for someone who may need mental health
treatment, call the
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