Can You Commit Someone to a Mental Hospital Against Their Will?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGeneral CommitmentCommitment for Suicide IdeationWho Can Request Commitment?Can They Refuse Treatment?Getting Someone HelpLong-Term CommitmentHospitalization for Depression

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

General Commitment

Commitment for Suicide Ideation

Who Can Request Commitment?

Can They Refuse Treatment?

Getting Someone Help

Long-Term Commitment

Hospitalization for Depression

Close

Being committed refers to the process of placing someone in an inpatient setting such as a hospital psychiatric unit or a mental hospital. Can you be committed to apsychiatric wardat a medical hospital or amental hospitalagainst your will? What if you arefeeling suicidal?

The criteria for civil commitments vary but often include presenting an imminent danger to yourself or others.

General, Short-Term Commitment

The process for commitment varies from state to state. Additionally, each state has procedures in place that prevent you from being detained without just cause, such as requirements for medical certification or judicial approval.

There are also time limits on how long you can be held against your will. Who can initiate the process of having you committed varies from state to state as well and depends on the type of commitment being sought.

It’s important to note that there is a significant difference between emergency detention—committing a person for a short period of time—and longer periods of commitment.

When Should I Call a Depression Hotline?

Can You Commit Someone If They Are Suicidal?

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Suicidal thoughts and feelings, along with the belief that the person is in immediate danger of hurting themselves, would fall under the umbrella of reasons for a short-term commitment orinvoluntary hospitalization for depression. Other criteria include whether the person can take care of themselves and whether they need treatment for their mental illness.

Some states do not require that a person be in danger of hurting themselves or others, and involuntary hospitalization may still be considered if they are refusing needed treatment for mental illness. Thedefinition of mental illnessalso varies from state to state.

Reasons for Short-Term Commitment or Involuntary HospitalizationSuicidal thoughts and feelingsRisk of immediate danger in hurting oneselfInability to take care of oneselfA need for mental illness treatmentA refusal of necessary mental illness treatment

Reasons for Short-Term Commitment or Involuntary Hospitalization

Suicidal thoughts and feelingsRisk of immediate danger in hurting oneselfInability to take care of oneselfA need for mental illness treatmentA refusal of necessary mental illness treatment

How to Create a Suicide Safety Plan

Who Can Make the Request?

The allowed duration of emergency detentions varies from state to state but is most often limited to 72 hours before a civil commitment proceeding must be initiated.

Some states have longer detention periods that can range from four to 10 days.

Can Someone Who Has Been Committed Refuse Treatment?

Commitment is often seen as a way to get someone mental help when they refuse. However, even if a person has been committed through emergency detention, they will not be forced to undergo treatment for their mental illness.

The exception is treatments that are required on an emergency basis and are designed to calm a person or stabilize a medical condition. This does not include medications to specifically treat mental illness, such asadministering antidepressants.

To make a person take medications for mental illness or go through therapy, that person would need to be declared incompetent to make their own decisions—a separate process from that of short-term commitment.

How to Get Someone Mental Help When They Refuse

If someone you know needs mental help but refuses, there are strategies that you can use to encourage them to seek treatment. They include:

Can You Commit Someone for Long-Term Treatment?

Commitments for longer periods of time generally have more stringent requirements than emergency detention. But, again, there are time limits that cannot be extended without the proper procedures being followed.

The maximum length of a long-term commitment is six to 12 months, depending on the state, after which a reassessment must be made before the commitment is extended.

To learn more about your state’s laws regarding involuntary commitment, contact your local Department of Health and Human Services or Community Mental Health.

When talking about “commitment,” it might sound like a prison sentence. But in actuality, when commitment is considered, the goal is tohelpa person, not punish or restrict their rights as a human being.

Talk of commitment usually demonstrates compassion and consideration for the safety and well-being of the person in need of help. Certainly, this is not always the case, and this is where the involvement of a medical professional or judicial approval is important.

Severe depressionis, unfortunately, far too common. And for some, being hospitalized for depression may be the best step in getting help before making decisions they could later regret. While in the hospital, a person who is depressed will have the opportunity to meet with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker and participate inindividual therapyand/orgroup therapy.

Emergency detention for people with severe mental illness is associated with a lower mortality rate (fewer deaths) and an improvement in the quality of life for those who are committed.

Takeaways

Anyone—from family members and friends to police and emergency responders—can recommend short-term emergency detention (commitment) for a person in danger of hurting themself or others, as in the case of being suicidal. However, the exact requirements and criteria for commitment vary from state to state, as does the amount of time a person can be committed.

While emergency commitment can sound frightening, the goal is to allow a person who is not coping well with mental illness to get the help needed to get past the crisis at hand. If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide, seek help andmake safety and prevention a priority.

If you are dealing with a mentally unstable family member, take steps to learn more about mental illness. Communicate with your loved one about your concerns and encourage them to seek treatment. Finding support for yourself and other family members is also essential. Consider joining a local chapter of theNational Alliance on Mental Illness(NAMI) for more information, support, and education programs.

What to Say to Someone Who Is Suicidal

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Civil commitment and the mental health care continuum: Historical trends and principles for law and practice.Johnson JM, Stern TA.Involuntary hospitalization of primary care patients.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3):PCC.13f01613. doi:10.4088/PCC.13f01613Hedman LC, Petrila J, Fisher WH, Swanson JW, Dingman DA, Burris S.State laws on emergency holds for mental health stabilization.Psychiatric Serv. 2016;67(5):529-535. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201500205Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.A practical guide to psychiatric advance directives.Saya A, Brugnoli C, Piazzi G, et al.Criteria, procedures, and future prospects of involuntary treatment in psychiatry around the world: a narrative review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;10:271. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00271Schölin L, Tucker Z, Chopra A, Borschmann R, McKay C.Detention of children and adolescents under mental health legislation: a scoping review of prevalence, risk factors, and legal frameworks.BMC Pediatr. 2024;24:12. doi:10.1186/s12887-023-04464-6Additional ReadingRavesteijn B, Schachar EB, Beekman ATF, Janssen RTJM, Jeurissen PPT.Association of cost sharing with mental health care use, involuntary commitment, and acute care.JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(9):932-939. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.1847Segal SP, Hayes SL, Rimes L.The utility of outpatient commitment: II. Mortality risk and protecting health, safety, and quality of life.Psychiatr Serv. 2017;68(12):1255-1261. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201600164

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Civil commitment and the mental health care continuum: Historical trends and principles for law and practice.Johnson JM, Stern TA.Involuntary hospitalization of primary care patients.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3):PCC.13f01613. doi:10.4088/PCC.13f01613Hedman LC, Petrila J, Fisher WH, Swanson JW, Dingman DA, Burris S.State laws on emergency holds for mental health stabilization.Psychiatric Serv. 2016;67(5):529-535. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201500205Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.A practical guide to psychiatric advance directives.Saya A, Brugnoli C, Piazzi G, et al.Criteria, procedures, and future prospects of involuntary treatment in psychiatry around the world: a narrative review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;10:271. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00271Schölin L, Tucker Z, Chopra A, Borschmann R, McKay C.Detention of children and adolescents under mental health legislation: a scoping review of prevalence, risk factors, and legal frameworks.BMC Pediatr. 2024;24:12. doi:10.1186/s12887-023-04464-6Additional ReadingRavesteijn B, Schachar EB, Beekman ATF, Janssen RTJM, Jeurissen PPT.Association of cost sharing with mental health care use, involuntary commitment, and acute care.JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(9):932-939. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.1847Segal SP, Hayes SL, Rimes L.The utility of outpatient commitment: II. Mortality risk and protecting health, safety, and quality of life.Psychiatr Serv. 2017;68(12):1255-1261. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201600164

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Civil commitment and the mental health care continuum: Historical trends and principles for law and practice.Johnson JM, Stern TA.Involuntary hospitalization of primary care patients.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3):PCC.13f01613. doi:10.4088/PCC.13f01613Hedman LC, Petrila J, Fisher WH, Swanson JW, Dingman DA, Burris S.State laws on emergency holds for mental health stabilization.Psychiatric Serv. 2016;67(5):529-535. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201500205Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.A practical guide to psychiatric advance directives.Saya A, Brugnoli C, Piazzi G, et al.Criteria, procedures, and future prospects of involuntary treatment in psychiatry around the world: a narrative review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;10:271. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00271Schölin L, Tucker Z, Chopra A, Borschmann R, McKay C.Detention of children and adolescents under mental health legislation: a scoping review of prevalence, risk factors, and legal frameworks.BMC Pediatr. 2024;24:12. doi:10.1186/s12887-023-04464-6

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Civil commitment and the mental health care continuum: Historical trends and principles for law and practice.

Johnson JM, Stern TA.Involuntary hospitalization of primary care patients.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3):PCC.13f01613. doi:10.4088/PCC.13f01613

Hedman LC, Petrila J, Fisher WH, Swanson JW, Dingman DA, Burris S.State laws on emergency holds for mental health stabilization.Psychiatric Serv. 2016;67(5):529-535. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201500205

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.A practical guide to psychiatric advance directives.

Saya A, Brugnoli C, Piazzi G, et al.Criteria, procedures, and future prospects of involuntary treatment in psychiatry around the world: a narrative review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;10:271. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00271

Schölin L, Tucker Z, Chopra A, Borschmann R, McKay C.Detention of children and adolescents under mental health legislation: a scoping review of prevalence, risk factors, and legal frameworks.BMC Pediatr. 2024;24:12. doi:10.1186/s12887-023-04464-6

Ravesteijn B, Schachar EB, Beekman ATF, Janssen RTJM, Jeurissen PPT.Association of cost sharing with mental health care use, involuntary commitment, and acute care.JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(9):932-939. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.1847Segal SP, Hayes SL, Rimes L.The utility of outpatient commitment: II. Mortality risk and protecting health, safety, and quality of life.Psychiatr Serv. 2017;68(12):1255-1261. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201600164

Ravesteijn B, Schachar EB, Beekman ATF, Janssen RTJM, Jeurissen PPT.Association of cost sharing with mental health care use, involuntary commitment, and acute care.JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(9):932-939. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.1847

Segal SP, Hayes SL, Rimes L.The utility of outpatient commitment: II. Mortality risk and protecting health, safety, and quality of life.Psychiatr Serv. 2017;68(12):1255-1261. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201600164

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