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Standards for Assisted Treatment:
State by State Summary
Last updated June 2007
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Need For Treatment
States with this column marked have a standard for assisted treatment that
includes eligibility criteria permitting the placement in treatment of those overcome by
mental illness based on the need for treatment. The standard in such a state normally
includes other requirements, such as the inability to make an informed medical decision.
Some standards that are arguably need for treatment based standards have not been
classified as such because of their limited scope. For instance, the first generation
"gravely disabled" standard found in many states requires that a person be
unable to access food, shelter, etc., to a degree that causes a substantial physical
danger has not been classified as a need for treatment standard. Whereas, those gravely
disabled standards that allow for treatment based on a persons inability to provide
for needed psychiatric care have been designated as need for treatment based criteria. The
standards of exactly half of the states and the District of Columbia met or exceeded this
limited need for treatment threshold.
Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT)
States with this column marked allow for assisted
outpatient treatment, which is a form of court-ordered treatment on an outpatient
basis. Classified as states that do not have AOT are those that allow for the conditional
release of patients already under inpatient treatment orders but not direct placement in
court-ordered outpatient treatment of those who are not. Forty-two states have laws for
assisted outpatient treatment (although far fewer make effective use of those laws).
Relevant Code Sections
The sections of the states code containing the standard for treatment
placement. Language is available at .
Standard
This is a summary of the states standard for treatment placement. These are
the key elements of the states requirements for the placement in treatment of a
person who refuses treatment because of the symptoms of mental illness. Please take note
that while these descriptions do contain much of each standards actual language,
they are summaries of only the most crucial provisions of the pertinent statutes for each
state.
State | Need For Treatment |
AOT |
Relevant Code Sections |
Standard |
Alabama | X |
X |
Inpatient:
A real and present danger to self/others, without treatment will continue to suffer mental
distress and deterioration of ability to function independently, and unable to make a
rational and informed decision concerning treatment. |
|
Alaska | X |
X |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others; (2) in danger from inability to
provide basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, or personal safety; or (3) without
treatment will suffer severe and abnormal mental, emotional, or physical distress causing
deterioration of ability to function independently. |
|
Arizona | X |
X |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others; (2) in danger from inability to provide
basic physical needs; or (3) likely to suffer severe and abnormal mental emotional or
physical harm without treatment, likely to benefit from treatment, and substantially
impaired capacity to make informed decisions regarding treatment. |
|
Arkansas | h | X |
Ark. Code Ann. � 20-47-207(c) |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: (1) Clear and present danger to self/others or (2) recent
behavior or behavior history demonstrates that he/she so lacks the capacity to care for
own welfare that there is a reasonable probability of death, serious bodily injury, or
serious physical or mental debilitation. |
California | h | | Inpatient:
(1) Danger to self/others or (2) unable to provide for basic personal needs for food,
clothing, or shelter. |
|
Colorado | X |
X |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others; (2) in danger of serious physical harm
due to inability to provide essential human needs of food, clothing, shelter, and medical
care; (3) cannot manage resources or conduct social relations so that health or safety
significantly endangered and lacks capacity to understand this is so; or (4) criteria
allowing for those in need of care of because of pending loss of support of a relative who
is a caregiver. |
|
Connecticut | h | h | Inpatient:
(1) Danger to self/others or (2) in danger of serious harm from inability to provide for
basic needs such as essential food, clothing, shelter or safety and unable to make a
rational and informed decision concerning treatment. |
|
Delaware | h | X |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: Real and present danger to self/others/property, in need of
treatment, and unable to make responsible decisions with respect to hospitalization. |
|
District of Columbia | h | X |
D.C. Code Ann. � 21-545(b) |
Inpatient and Outpatient: Danger to self/others. |
Florida | h | hX |
Inpatient: Unable or refuses to make responsible
decisions with respect to voluntary placement for treatment AND either (1) without
treatment, incapable of surviving alone or with the help of willing family or friends, and
likely to suffer from neglect or refuse to care for himself/herself that will pose a real
and present threat of substantial harm to well-being OR (2) danger to self/others, as
evidenced by recent behavior. |
|
Georgia | X |
X |
Inpatient:
In need of involuntary treatment AND (1) imminent danger to self/others, evidenced by
recent overt acts or expressed threats of violence OR (2) unable to care for physical
health and safety so as to create an imminently life-endangering crisis and in need of
involuntary treatment. |
|
Hawaii | X |
X |
Haw. Rev. Stat. � 334-60.2 � 334-121 � 334-1 |
Inpatient: In need of treatment AND either (1)
imminent danger to self/others, including that of substantial emotional injuries to
others; OR (2) unable to provide for basic personal needs for food, clothing, or shelter,
unable to make or communicate rational decisions concerning personal welfare, and lacking
the capacity to understand that this is so; OR (3) behavior and previous history indicate
a disabling mental illness and unable to make rational decisions concerning treatment. |
Idaho | X |
X |
Idaho Code � 66-329(k) � 66-317(11),(12),(13) � 66-339A |
Inpatient: (1) Danger to self/others
or (2) in danger of serious physical harm due to inability to provide for essential needs. |
Illinois | h | X |
405 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/1-119 |
Inpatient and Outpatient: (1) Danger to
self/others, explicitly including threatening behavior or conduct that places
another individual in reasonable expectation of being harmed, or (2) unable to provide for
basic physical needs so as to guard against serious harm without the assistance of others. |
Indiana | X |
X |
Ind. Code Ann. � 12-7-2-53 � 12-7-2-96 � 12-26-7-5(a) � 12-26-14-1 � 12-26-6-8-(a) |
Inpatient: (1) danger to self/others;
or in danger of coming to harm because either (2) unable to provide for food, clothing,
shelter, or other essential human needs OR (3) substantial impairment or obvious
deterioration that results in inability to function independently. |
Iowa | h | X |
Iowa Code � 229.14 � 229.1(15),(16) |
Inpatient and Outpatient: Lacks sufficient judgment to make responsible decisions concerning treatment AND is either (1) a danger to self/others, including that of serious emotional injuries to family members and others OR (2) unable to satisfy need for nourishment, clothing, essential medical care, or shelter so that it is likely that the person will suffer physical injury, physical debilitation, or death. |
Kansas | h | X |
Kan. Stat. Ann. � 59-2946a(f)(1) � 59-2967(a) |
Inpatient:
Lacks capacity to make informed decision concerning treatment AND either (1) danger to
self/others/property OR (2) substantially unable to provide for basic needs, such as food,
clothing, shelter, health or safety. |
Kentucky | h | | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. � 202A.026 � 202A.011(2) |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: Danger to self/others/family, including actions which deprive
self/others/family of basic means of survival such as provision for reasonable shelter,
food or clothing; can reasonably benefit from treatment; and hospitalization is the least
restrictive form of treatment available. Note: Kentucky allows for only a 60 day period of AOT and a possible single 60 day renewal period that must be agreed to by all parties. |
Louisiana | h | X |
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. � 28:55(E)(1) � 28:2(3), (4), (10) |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others or (2) unable to provide for basic physical
needs, such as essential food, clothing, medical care, and shelter, and unable to survive
safely in freedom or guard against serious harm. |
Maine | X |
h | Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 34-B, � 3864(6)(A) tit. 34B, � 3801(4) |
Inpatient:
Inpatient hospitalization is the best available means for treatment of the patient, the
Court is satisfied with the submitted treatment plan AND, based on recent actions or
behavior, either (1) danger to self/others OR (2) severe physical or mental impairment or
injury likely to result without treatment plus a determination that suitable community
resources for his care and treatment are unavailable. |
Maryland | h | h | Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. � 10-632(e)(2) |
Inpatient: Danger to self/others, in need of treatment, and unable or unwilling to be voluntarily admitted. |
Massachusetts | h | h | Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 123, � 8(a) ch. 123, � 1 |
Inpatient: (1) Danger to self/others or (2) very substantial risk of physical impairment or injury because unable to protect himself/herself in the community. |
Michigan | X |
X |
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. � 330.1401 |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: (1) Danger to self others; (2) unable to attend to basic physical
needs such as food, clothing, or shelter necessary to avoid serious harm in the near
future; or (3) unable to understand need for treatment and continued behavior reasonably
expected to result in significant physical harm to self/others. |
Minnesota | h | X |
Minn. Stat. Ann. � 253B.09(1) � 253B.02(13)(a), (17) � 253B.065(5)(b) |
Inpatient: (1) A clear danger to others OR the
likelihood of physical harm to self/others as demonstrated by either (2) failure to obtain
necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical care as a result of impairment OR (3)
inability to obtain necessary food, clothing, shelter or medical care and is more probable
than not will suffer substantial harm, significant psychiatric deterioration or
debilitation, or serious illness OR (4) a recent attempt or threat to harm self/others OR
(5) recent, volitional conduct involving significant damage to property. |
Mississippi | X |
X |
Miss. Code Ann. � 41-21-73(4) � 41-21-61(e) |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: A substantial likelihood of physical harm to self/others as
demonstrated by (1) a recent attempt or threat to harm self/others or (2) failure to
provide necessary food, clothing, shelter or medical care. Explicitly includes
person who, based on treatment history, is in need of treatment to prevent further
disability or deterioration predictably resulting in danger to self/others if unable to
make informed decisions concerning treatment. |
Missouri | h | X |
Mo. Ann. Stat. � 632.335(4) � 632.005(9) � 632.350(5) |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: (1) Likelihood of serious harm to self/others ; (2)
substantial risk that serious physical harm will result due to an impairment in capacity
to make treatment decisions, evidenced by inability to provide for basic necessities of
food, clothing, shelter, safety, medical care, or necessary mental health care.
Evidence may also include past patterns of behavior. |
Montana | X |
X |
Mont. Code Ann. � 53-21-126(1) � 53-21-127(7) |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: In determining whether the respondent requires commitment, the
court shall consider the following (1) whether substantially unable to provide for basic
needs of food, clothing, shelter, health, or safety; (2) whether recently caused
self-injury or injury to others; (3) whether imminent danger to self/others; and (4)
whether the respondent's mental disorder, demonstrated by the respondent's recent acts or
omissions, will, if untreated, predictably result in deterioration to meet considerations
nos. 1, 2 or 3. Predictability may be established by the respondent's relevant
medical history. Commitments based solely on consideration no. 4 must be on an
outpatient basis. |
Nebraska | h | X |
Neb. Rev. Stat. � 83-1037 � 83-1009 |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others, as manifested by recent threats/acts
of violence or (2) substantial risk of serious harm evidenced by inability to provide for
basic human needs, including food, clothing, shelter, essential medical care, or personal
safety. |
Nevada | h | h | Nev. Rev. Stat. � 433A.310(1) � 433A.115 |
Inpatient:
Clear and present danger of harm to self/others and diminished capacity to conduct
affairs, social relations, or care for personal needs. Explicitly includes the
inability, without assistance, to satisfy need for nourishment, personal/medical care,
shelter, self-protection or safety which will result in a reasonable probability that
death, serious bodily injury or physical debilitation will occur within the next following
30 days. |
New Hampshire | X |
X |
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. � 135-C:34 � 135-C:27 |
Inpatient and Outpatient: A potentially serious likelihood of danger to self/others as evidenced by either (1) recent infliction of serious bodily injury, attempted suicide, or serious self-injury in last 40 days which is likely to reoccur without treatment; (2) threatened infliction serious bodily injury on self in last 40 days, and that without treatment an act or attempt of serious self-injury will likely occur; (3) lacks capacity to care for own welfare and a likelihood of death, serious bodily injury, or serious debilitation; (4) severely mentally disabled for at least one year, involuntary admission within last 2 years, refusal of necessary treatment and substantial probability that refusal will lead to death, serious bodily injury, or serious debilitation; OR (5) threatened, attempted or actual act of violence in last 40 days. |
New Jersey | h | h | N.J. Stat. Ann. � 30:4-27.2(m), (r), (h), (i) |
Inpatient: Danger to self/others/property, unwilling to be admitted voluntarily, and in need of treatment. Danger to self explicitly includes the inability, without assistance, to satisfy need for nourishment, essential medical care or shelter. |
New Mexico | h | h | N.M. Stat. Ann. � 43-1-11(C) � 43-1-3(M), (N) |
Inpatient: Danger to self /others, likely to benefit from treatment, and proposed commitment is consistent with treatment needs and least drastic means. Harm to self includes grave passive neglect. |
New York | X |
X |
N.Y. Mental Hyg. Law � 9.31(c) � 9.01 � 9.60(C) |
Inpatient:
Danger to self/others, treatment in hospital is essential to welfare, and is unable to
understand need for care and treatment. |
North Carolina | X |
X |
N.C. Gen. Stat. � 122C-268(j) � 122C-3(11) � 122C-267(h) � 122C-263(d)(1) � 122C-271(a) |
Inpatient:
Danger to self/others/property. Explicitly includes reasonable probability of
suffering serious physical debilitation from the inability to, without assistance, either
exercise self-control, judgment, and discretion in conduct and social relations; OR
satisfy need for nourishment, personal or medical care, shelter, or self-protection and
safety. Outpatient: Capable of surviving safely in community with available supervision, in need of treatment to prevent further deterioration predictably resulting in dangerousness, and inability to make informed decision to seek/comply with voluntary treatment. |
North Dakota | X |
X |
N.D. Cent. Code � 25-03.1-07 � 25-03.1-02(12) |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: Danger to self/others/property if not treated. Harm to self
includes substantial likelihood of deterioration in physical health/substantial
injury/disease/death, based upon recent poor self-control or judgment in providing
shelter/nutrition/personal care; or substantial deterioration in mental health predictably
resulting in danger to self/others/property based upon objective facts of loss of
cognitive or volitional control over thoughts or actions or based upon history, current
condition, effect of mental condition on ability to consent. |
Ohio | h | X |
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. � 5122.15(C) � 5122.01(B) |
Inpatient and Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others; (2) substantial and immediate risk of serious physical impairment or injury to self as manifested inability to provide for basic physical needs and provision for needs is unavailable in community; or (3) needs and would benefit from treatment as evidenced by behavior creating grave and imminent risk to substantial rights of others/self. |
Oklahoma | X |
X |
Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 43A, � 1-103(13)a. tit. 43A, � 1-103(18) |
Inpatient and
outpatient: (1) Imminent risk of harm to self; (2)
Imminent risk of harm to others; (3) immediate threats of harm/violence to another; or (4) Substantial risk of severe impairment/injury. |
Oregon | X |
X |
Or. Rev. Stat. � 426.005(1)(d) |
Inpatient and Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others; (2) unable to provide for basic personal needs and is not receiving care necessary for health/safety; or (3) chronic mental illness, two hospitalizations in previous three years, symptoms/behavior substantially similar to those that led to the previous hospitalizations, and will continue to physically or mentally deteriorate to either standard (1) or (2) if untreated. |
Pennsylvania | h | X |
50 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. � 7301(A). |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: Clear and present danger to self/others; includes inability, without
assistance, to satisfy need for nourishment, personal or medical care, shelter, or
self-protection and safety, and reasonable probability that death, serious bodily injury
or serious physical debilitation would ensue within 30 days. |
Rhode Island | h | X |
R.I. Gen. Laws � 40.1-5-8(j) � 40.1-5-2 (7) |
Inpatient and Outpatient: In need of care/treatment in a facility and, if unsupervised in the community, would be a danger to self/others. Explicitly includes substantial risk of harm manifested by grave, clear and present risk to physical health and safety. |
South Carolina | X |
X |
S.C. Code Ann. � 44-17-580 � 44-23-10(1),(2) |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: Needs treatment and either (1) unable to make responsible decisions
with respect to treatment; OR (2) likelihood of serious harm to self/others, including the
substantial risk of physical impairment from inability to protect oneself in community and
provisions for protection are unavailable. |
South Dakota | X |
X |
S.D. Codified Laws � 27A-1-2 � 27A-1-1 (4), (5) |
Inpatient and Outpatient: Danger to
self /others, as evidenced by treatment history and recent acts, and needs and is likely
to benefit from treatment. Danger to self includes danger of serious personal harm
in the very near future evidenced by inability to provide for some basic human needs such
as food, clothing, shelter, physical health, or personal safety, or arrests for criminal
behavior due to mental illness. |
Tennessee | h | h | Inpatient: Substantial likelihood of serious harm, which includes the inability to avoid severe impairment or injury from specific risks, or placing others in reasonable fear of serious physical harm. | |
Texas | X |
X |
Tex. Health & Safety Code Ann. � 574.034 � 574.035 � 574.034 � 574.035 |
Inpatient:
(1) Danger to self/others; or (2) severe and abnormal mental, emotional, or physical
distress; substantial mental or physical deterioration of ability to function
independently, exhibited by the inability to provide for basic needs, including food,
clothing, health, or safety; and inability to make rational and informed treatment
decisions. Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others; or (2) severe and persistent mental illness; if untreated will suffer severe and abnormal mental, emotional, or physical distress; and deterioration of the ability to function independently and inability to live safely in community; and inability to voluntarily and effectively participate in outpatient treatment as demonstrated by actions of past two years or the inability to make an informed treatment decision. |
Utah | h | X |
Utah Code Ann. � 62A-15-631 (10) |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: Inability to make rational treatment decision and immediate danger to
self/others, explicitly including both inability to provide basic necessities such as
food, clothing, and shelter and substantial risk of extreme physical pain, protracted and
obvious disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of mental faculty. |
Vermont | X |
X |
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 18, � 7611 tit. 18, � 7101(16) |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others and (2) a patient who is receiving
adequate treatment, and who, if such treatment is discontinued, is likely to deteriorate
to the standard in (1). Danger to others includes presenting a danger to persons in
his/her care. Danger to self can be the inability, without assistance, to satisfy
need for nourishment, personal or medical care, shelter, or self-protection and safety, so
that probable death, substantial physical bodily injury, serious mental deterioration or
physical debilitation or disease will ensue. |
Virginia | hhjklff | X |
Va. Code Ann. � 37.2-817 � 37.2-817 |
Inpatient: (1)
Imminent danger to self/others; or (2) so seriously mentally ill as to be substantially
unable to care for self. Outpatient: Same as for inpatient plus is competent to understand the stipulations of treatment, wants to live in community and agrees to abide by treatment plan, has capacity to comply with treatment plan, ordered treatment can be delivered on outpatient basis, and can be monitored by community services board or designated providers. |
Washington | X |
X |
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. � 71.05.240 � 71.05.020(21) � 71.05.020(16) � 71.05.020(18) � 71.05.020(36) |
Inpatient: (1) Danger to self/others/property; or
(2) in danger of serious physical harm from failure to provide for essential human needs
of health or safety; or (3) severe deterioration in routine functioning evidenced by loss
of cognitive or volitional control and not receiving essential care. |
West Virginia | h | X |
W. Va. Code � 27-5-4(j) �27-1-12 |
Inpatient and
Outpatient: Danger to self/others. Danger to others includes presenting a
danger to persons in his/her care. Danger to self can be the inability, without
assistance, to satisfy need for nourishment, personal or medical care, shelter, or
self-protection and safety, so that probable death, substantial physical bodily injury,
serious mental deterioration or physical debilitation or disease will ensue. |
Wisconsin | X |
X |
Wis. Stat. Ann. � 51.20(1)(a)1 � 51.20(1)(a)2 |
Inpatient
and Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others as evidenced by recent acts/threats;
(2) substantial probability of physical impairment/injury to self as evidenced by recent
acts/omissions; (3) inability to satisfy basic needs for nourishment, medical care,
shelter or safety so that substantial probability of imminent death, serious physical
injury, serious physical debilitation or serious physical disease; or (4) substantial
inability to make informed treatment choice, needs care or treatment to prevent
deterioration, and substantial probability that if untreated will lack services for health
or safety and suffer severe mental, emotional or physical harm that will result in the
loss of ability to function in community or loss of cognitive or volitional control over
thoughts or actions. |
Wyoming | X |
X |
Wyo. Stat. Ann. � 25-10-110(j) � 25-10-101(a)(ix) � 25-10-101(a)(ii) � 25-10-110(j)(ii) |
Inpatient and Outpatient: (1) Danger to self/others; (2) unable, without available assistance, to satisfy basic needs for nourishment, essential medical care, shelter or safety so it is likely that death, serious physical injury, serious physical debilitation, serious mental debilitation, destabilization from lack of or refusal to take prescribed psychotropic medications for a diagnosed condition or serious physical disease will imminently ensue. |
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