Status of involuntary commitment in the Bay State

BOSTON (WWLP) - A State House committee met today to discuss the status of involuntary commitment and when it is appropriate to implement it in Massachusetts.

Involuntary treatment is a legal process that forces some with serious mental illness to be hospitalized or put under supervised outpatient treatment regardless of patient consent, and it is used in the Bay State for patients who present an immediate danger to themselves or others, are at risk of harm due to serious disability, or who are not able to make informed decisions for themselves.

One expert says we need to ensure the Bay State offers appropriate mental health care treatment to ensure those who want care can receive it before the state forces individuals into inadequate care. "We can't mandate people to treatment services