Should it be easier to have someone brought in for a mental evaluation?

[Mr Slugger]

As some may know from a post on CS my mother has taken a trip away from reality. I'm not going to go into the details, but basically we've tried to get her committed, considered getting do not contact orders, etc. Now we've basically changed numbers and send anything mailed by her back to her. The problem here, and I'm assuming pretty much most other places unless she actually does harm to herself or to others or say she shows up at our front door there's nothing they can do about it.

But obviously as her family we want something to be done rather than just ignore her for good.

Now to some extent I kinda understand some of the problems regarding this. I mean for instance I mean obviously making it easier to bring people in for mental evaluations means that the system will have to take care of possibly more people. And there's the possibility that family members of a person who is just quirky may try to get someone checked in to get at their money, etc.

But at the same time I mean like in our case all of her children, and all of her brother and sisters would be willing to sign something saying that she's unstable and needs to be forced to get help.

[DrFaroohk]

Crazy people freak me out - mostly because they always seem to come looking for me! I've had several run-ins with mentally unstable people who truly scared me, but couldn't do anything about it legally because since they haven't been brandishing knives and firearms they must be ok. Nevermind the fact that they sleep on my front lawn or scream themselves to sleep every night so the demons can't get them...

[Flyndaran]

I don't like the idea of committing someone, because of the word of family members instead of mental health professionals.
The OP may be thinking of only the ill person in question, but should that really be assumed enough to enshrine in law?
Restricting people's rights should only come after undeniable evidence. That usually means harm to oneself or others. The sad fact that family may be able to predict such actions long before it happens may be an unavoidable issue.

[BroomJockey]

I don't like the idea of committing someone, because of the word of family members instead of mental health professionals.

I believe you missed the point. He wants it easier to be able to bring people in for evaluation. That would be BY mental health professionals. Those would be the people evaluating.

[Mr Slugger]

I believe you missed the point. He wants it easier to be able to bring people in for evaluation. That would be BY mental health professionals. Those would be the people evaluating.

Exactly