Avoiding the legal pitfalls in mental health commitments

Treatment for some patients with mental illness involves involuntary commitment to a mental hospital. The Texas Mental Health Code establishes legal criteria, procedures that must be followed, and the burden of proof borne by the State of Texas to obtain a commitment. The legal provisions protect patients from inappropriate hospitalization but often obstruct the efforts of physicians to effectively treat patients with mental illness. By understanding what appear to be barriers to treatment, doctors can avoid the legal pitfalls that prevent involuntary treatment when indicated.