If a patient with mental illness can meet basic needs and is not a danger to self or others, involuntary admission is generally:

• A. Not warranted
• B. Required by law
• C. Warranted in some cases
• D. Always mandatory

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how involuntary admission is justified. Civil commitment is generally used only when a person cannot care for themselves or poses a real danger to others or themselves. The two common criteria are danger to self or others, and grave disability (being unable to meet basic needs such as food, shelter, or medical care) because of mental illness. If a patient can meet basic needs and is not a danger, those criteria aren’t met, so involuntary admission isn’t warranted. In this situation the patient would typically pursue voluntary admission or receive voluntary crisis services rather than an involuntary commitment.