In Florida, all of the police, local or staties, have the power to
commit a person, any age, for 72 hours in a mental facility. I am amazed by this. It can be a good thing, because they are in the trenches with the crazies on the street.
I'm from PA, where only MDs or trained crisis workers, county hired, were allowed to commit.
What about other states?
My job is psych assessment in the ER, and I see every psych pt in the ER, on my shift, that is committed or otherwise, screening, voluntary, counseling referral, etc.
All too often the committments are inappropriate, and sometimes quite stupid. Opinions?, thanks, PGH70