(11-28-16) Most of us have strong opinions about involuntary psychiatric treatment and tomorrow (TUESDAY 11-29) at 11 a.m., it will be the topic on Diane Rehm’s popular NPR show.
I’ll be a guest along with Drs. Dinah Miller and Annette Hanson, co-authors of COMMITTED: The Battle Over Involuntary Psychiatric Care.
In keeping with NPR’s promise of hearing all sides, Diane will interview two individuals with mental illness; one who has been helped by involuntary commitment and one who was traumatized by it. Please listen and join the discussion. Here is what the show has posted on its website about Tuesday’s hour long program:
Many mental health experts say forcing someone into psychiatric care against their will can be necessary to protect people dangerous to themselves and others. But in some certain cases it is illegal, and some see involuntary commitment as a violation of someone’s civil rights. A look at how patients can be both helped and traumatized by involuntary psychiatric care, and what the data indicates about its role in preventing violence, suicide and mass murder.
HELPING FAMILIES IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ACT TO BE VOTED ON THIS WEEK, REP. TIM MURPHY CLAIMS MAJOR VICTORY
Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA.) announced late last Friday that a version of his Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (HR 2646) and Rep. Fred Upton’s (R.-Mich.) 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 6) have been merged into one package that will be voted on sometime this coming week, possibly as early as Tuesday. I wrote about this commingling of bills ten days ago and will be posting an analysis of the bill after it is passed. Meanwhile….