Halachic perspective on involuntary psychiatric care of the mentally ill

According to most mental health statutes in force around the world, doctors may involuntarily treat only acutely psychotic patients who present some danger to themselves, others or property. Chronic patients who, owing to volitional or cognitive defects, present a similar danger may not be thus treated. This may cause situations to arise where dangerous chronically ill patients who refuse treatment may cause serious harm because of physicians' inability to treat them. This article suggests changes to contemporary mental health statutes, in line with Judaic Halachic codes, which view all mentally ill patients as potentially harmful, and require physicians to treat--voluntarily or involuntarily--all mentally ill persons.