1. Civil commitment. A person can be civilly committed. In a
civil commitment, a person has a hearing before a judge. If the judge finds the person has
a mental disorder and is a danger to self or others or unable to care for basic needs, the
person can be hospitalized for up to 180 days.
2. Guilty except for insanity. Another way a person can be
hospitalized involuntarily is if the person is found guilty except for insanity in
criminal court. If a person is charged with a crime and is found guilty except for
insanity, the person may be placed under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security
Review Board (PSRB) for a term equal to the maximum prison sentence for the crime.
3. Fitness to proceed in criminal case. A third way a person
can be hospitalized involuntarily is if a person is charged with a crime and there is a
question about whether he or she is able to understand the charges or help with the
defense. The person may be hospitalized for an evaluation or to await a change in his or
her condition.
4. Sexually dangerous. A fourth way a person may be
hospitalized involuntarily is if a judge finds the person is a sexually dangerous person.
The judge can make this decision only if a person is convicted of a sexual offense and
only after an evaluation and a hearing.
5. Guardian admission. A fifth way a person may be
hospitalized involuntarily is if the person has a guardian and the guardian admits the
person to a hospital. The guardian has this authority only if the guardian was appointed
by a judge and the guardianship includes the right to make this decision.