Assessing the NCSC guidelines for involuntary civil commitment from the clinician's point of view

Two clinicians who helped develop the National Center for State Courts' 50 guidelines for involuntary civil commitment assess how well the guidelines address some of the common problems clinicians face during the commitment process. The guidelines with potential to help clinicians call for the establishment of screening agencies to reduce unnecessary commitments; encourage the development of models for outpatient commitment; attempt to ensure that information gathered during the evaluation process reaches clinicians; suggest how clinicians can more validly predict whether a patient is dangerous; and advocate more research and evaluation of civil commitment processes. The guidelines that would hamper good clinical care advocate using lawyers as brokers of services and requiring the courts to approve treatment plans. Clinicians are urged to become familiar with the guidelines.