scholarly journals Dangerousness and mental health treatment: civil commitment in the USA

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Vitacco ◽  
James Degroot

Civil commitment standards in the USA have undergone dramatic changes over the past 50 years. The relevant statutes have largely focused on treatment, but how this treatment has been administered and the placement of individuals undergoing commitment have been dynamic. There have also been changes in commitment as it relates to sexual offenders and individuals deemed not competent to proceed to trial. As legislatures strive to find a balance between mandated treatment and civil liberties, changing standards of commitment provide opportunities for scholarship and research.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Ellen Mackesy-Amiti ◽  
Lawrence J. Ouellet

Background. We examined correlates of past year suicidal thoughts and behavior (STB) and described past year treatment experiences among young people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods. Participants were 570 adults (18-25 years) who injected primarily heroin. Interviews were conducted at field stations operated by Community Outreach Intervention Projects in Chicago, Illinois (USA). Interviewers administered the Psychiatric Research Instrument for Substance and Mental Disorders. Substance use and mental disorders were based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Past year STB was based on multiple questions. Results. Sixteen percent of men and 25% of women reported STB in the past year. In multivariable analysis, STB was associated with non-heterosexual orientation, foster care, and being raised by two parents. Primary major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, and borderline personality disorder had independent effects on suicidality. Among those reporting past year STB (n=111), 83% ever received mental health treatment, while 44% did so in the past year. While 24% of respondents indicated that at least one treatment matched their needs very well, 30% reported treatment that did not match their needs at all. The most common reason for ending treatment was program completion (about 50%) while getting better was endorsed by about 25%. Nearly half reported ending treatment due to a bad experience, logistical issues, or expense. Conclusions. Young PWID are at high risk for suicidal behavior and their mental health treatment experiences often do not meet their needs. There is a pressing need for more integrated substance use and mental health treatment.


Author(s):  
Bipin Subedi

Chapter 8 focuses on cases that involve the rights of individuals to receive adequate mental health treatment while involuntarily hospitalized either through civil commitment or insanity defense proceedings. These cases set the stage, many years ago, for environmental and clinical expectations of appropriate care. The cases in this chapter are Rouse v. Cameron, Wyatt v. Stickney, and Youngberg v. Romeo. Cases involving a right to treatment for prisoners are included in Chapter 25.


Author(s):  
Bipin Subedi

Chapter 8 focuses on cases that involve the rights of individuals to receive adequate mental health treatment while involuntarily hospitalized through either civil commitment or insanity defense proceedings. These cases set the stage, many years ago, for environmental and clinical expectations of appropriate care. The cases in this chapter are Rouse v. Cameron, Wyatt v. Stickney, and Youngberg v. Romeo. Cases involving a right to treatment for prisoners are included in chapter 26.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 682-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Glasheen ◽  
V. Forman-Hoffman ◽  
S. Hedden ◽  
T. Ridenour ◽  
J. Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractAimsResidential instability, including transience (i.e. unusually frequent mobility), is associated with higher risk for emotional and behavioural problems in children and young adults. However, most studies have not compared the effect of recent v. more distal moves on mental health or on mental health treatment. This study examined associations between recent (past year) and distal (past 2–4 years) residential transience and past year major depressive episode (MDE) and mental health treatment in a nationally representative sample of US adolescents aged 12–17.MethodsData are from the 2010–2014 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (n = ~107 300 adolescents). T-tests were used to examine the prevalence of MDE by number of moves in the past 5 years among a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Additionally, multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the adjusted association between recent (⩾2 moves in the past year) and distal (⩾4 moves in the past 5 years, but no recent transience) and (1) past year MDE and (2) past year mental health treatment among adolescents with MDE.ResultsMDE prevalence increased linearly with number of moves in the past 5 years (p < 0.001). The adjusted odds of MDE were greater among youths with distal transience (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09–1.44) and among those with proximal transience (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.17–1.46), compared with those without transience in the past 5 years. The MDE prevalence did not differ between those with distal and proximal transience (p = 0.163). In youths with past year MDE, the prevalence of past year mental health treatment was greater among those with proximal transience compared with those without transience (AOR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.15–1.70), but there was no significant difference in treatment among those with distal v. no transience.ConclusionsDistal and recent transience are associated with past year MDE among adolescents. Adolescents with MDE who had recent transience were more likely to receive past year mental health treatment compared with those without transience. However, those with only distal transience were not more likely to receive treatment. Parents, school officials and health care providers should be aware that residential mobility in the past 5 years may indicate increased odds of depression among adolescents even among adolescents whose housing stability has improved in the past year.


2015 ◽  
Vol 206 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronny Bruffaerts ◽  
Jose Posada-Villa ◽  
Ali Obaid Al-Hamzawi ◽  
Oye Gureje ◽  
Yueqin Huang ◽  
...  

BackgroundPrevious research suggests that many people receiving mental health treatment do not meet criteria for a mental disorder but are rather ‘the worried well’.AimsTo examine the association of past-year mental health treatment with DSM-IV disorders.MethodThe World Health Organization's World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys interviewed community samples of adults in 23 countries (n = 62 305) about DSM-IV disorders and treatment in the past 12 months for problems with emotions, alcohol or drugs.ResultsRoughly half (52%) of people who received treatment met criteria for a past-year DSM-IV disorder, an additional 18% for a lifetime disorder and an additional 13% for other indicators of need (multiple subthreshold disorders, recent stressors or suicidal behaviours). Dose–response associations were found between number of indicators of need and treatment.ConclusionsThe vast majority of treatment in the WMH countries goes to patients with mental disorders or other problems expected to benefit from treatment.


2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (10) ◽  
pp. 643-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jitender Sareen ◽  
Brian J Cox ◽  
Tracie O Afifi ◽  
Ian Clara ◽  
Bo Nancy Yu

Objective: The optimal method of determining how many people in the general population need help for emotional problems remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and correlates of self-perceived need for mental health services (that is, help seeking and perceived need) in a large, population-based sample. Methods: Data came from the Canadian Community Health Survey 1.2 ( n = 36 816, respondent age 15 years and over, and response rate 77%). Respondents were asked whether they had sought help in the past year from any professional for emotional problems and whether they felt they needed help for emotional symptoms but had not sought treatment. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was used to make DSM-IV mental disorder diagnoses. Results: The past-year prevalences of help seeking and perceived need were 8.7% and 2.9%, respectively. After adjusting for the presence of DSM-IV disorders assessed in the survey, sociodemographic factors, illness severity, social supports, and the presence of physical health conditions were associated with help seeking and perceived need. Independent of DSM diagnoses, sociodemographics, and social supports, perceived need and help seeking were associated with increased levels of distress, disability, and suicidal ideation and attempts. Conclusions: This study illustrates that, in addition to the presence of a DSM diagnosis, the respondent's self-perceived need for mental health treatment is important in the assessment of need for mental health services in the community.


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