Leading Stories, Articles
Involuntary shock therapy court-ordered for Connecticut man
By Eileen Weber
This past spring, a probate court ordered a 26-year-old man in Connecticut to undergo electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and involuntary medication at Yale New Haven Hospital. The man, identified only as John Doe, secured the Connecticut Legal Rights Project (CLRP) for his defense in the appeal. The hospital’s attorneys argued for a dismissal, citing the patient has a conservator who must agree. The defense rebutted that state law allows conserved individuals to challenge such cases on their own even if their conservator disagrees. Gina Teixeira, JD, Doe’s attorney at CLRP, contended state law requires less intrusive treatment before implementing the procedure. [More]
Tags: Connecticut, court order, Involuntary shock therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, ECT, involuntary medication, Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center, consent
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CARE Act would allow involuntary commitment for addicts
By Catherine Robertson Souter
As part of an effort to combat the drug overdose epidemic, a new law, known as the CARE Act, currently in the Massachusetts legislature would allow certain medical professionals to hospitalize people addicted to drugs for up to 72 hours while waiting for a court order. The law would give physicians, psychiatric nurses, qualified licensed psychologists or clinical social workers the right to judge if a patient’s addiction poses an immediate danger to themselves or to others. The law would allow this involuntary commitment on the basis of the facts and circumstances even if the patient refuses to be examined. [More]
Tags: drug overdose, CARE Act, addiction, involuntary commitment, court order, recovery treatment, Massachusetts legislature
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