Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 5th edition文档.pptVIP

* Emergency Commitment Many states give clinicians the right to certify certain patients as needing temporary commitment and medication Requires the agreement of two physicians and/or mental health professionals These certifications often are referred to as “2PCs” (two physician certificates) The length of stay is often limited to three days * Who Is Dangerous? Historically, people with mental illnesses were less likely than others to commit violent or dangerous acts because of mass hospitalizations Since deinstitutionalization, however, this is no longer true _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ * Who Is Dangerous? A judgment of “dangerousness” is often required for involuntary civil commitment Research suggests that, while mental health professionals are very often wrong in making long-term predictions of violence, short-term predictions – predictions of imminent violence – can be accurate * What Are the Problems with Civil Commitment? Civil commitment has been criticized on several grounds: _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ On the basis of these and other arguments, some clinicians argue that involuntary commitment should be abolished * Trends in Civil Commitment The flexibility of involuntary commitment laws peaked in 1962 The Supreme Court ruled that imprisoning people who suffered from drug addictions might violate the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment As the public became aware of these issues, states passed stricter standards for commitment Today, fewer people are institutionalized through civil commitment proceedings than in the past * Protecting Patients’ Rights Over the past two decades, court decisions and state and federal laws have greatly expanded the rights of patients with mental disorders, in particular the _____________ and the _