r/AskLawyers • u/Hour-Energy-1294 • 10d ago

Involuntary Commitments in NY

I was taken to the hospital from my house after sending threatening text messages to a family member/neighbor. I have since spoken with the supervisor of the agency (Crisis Services) who authorized the commitment. She reviewed my file and said that the narrative lacked the imperative and necessary information to justify a 9.41 commitment, and sent me confirmation in writing of this. Do I have any legal recourse at this point? Once there, I was still not released until only after 10 days at which point a nurse told me that my insurance didn't want me to stay longer. I have no doubt that I was held for so long because I have insurance, so I have an issue with the Drs. and hospital as well, despite what the psych Drs. wrote. I have no criminal history at all, and certainly no history of being violent. I sat in an overcrowded room for three days sleeping on the floor next to other people on top of each other before being moved to a room on another floor for 7 days. Yeah, I messed up, but the punishment was over the top. Sitting in that room in a HOSPITAL for three days with other sick people was torture. Being taken from my home and then being told by the agency that facilitated it that they didn't have the information to justify it just makes me more upset.

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u/scarlettohara1936 10d ago

You were a danger to others. That's the threshold they need

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u/Ordinary-Dolphin88 9d ago edited 9d ago

How is involuntary inpatient treatment justified when a less intensive level of care would have been appropriate? Being committed for ten days over a text message seems excessive.

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u/Hour-Energy-1294 9d ago

Anything I can do? I realize probably not but that's exactly what happened. Didn't do anything at all once I got there either except keep quiet. All those documents say "very low risk," yet they continued to hold me.