MPS Feedback on Involuntary Commitment Definition

The MPS requested member input about a draft report from the Involuntary Commitment Stakeholders’ Workgroup that includes recommendations based on stakeholder discussions this year. Three recommendations emerged: (1) Refine the definition of the dangerousness standard in regulations; (2) Provide comprehensive training around the dangerousness standard; (3) Gather additional data elements about civil commitment. The MPS Executive Committee discussed the input received and recognized that problems can arise, sometimes with tragic consequences, because of the existing definition, but they decided that spelling out the definition in more detail would not solve them. The MPS feedback included examples of problems but concluded that training and data collection are needed before the regulations are revised.