Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-01
More Curbs Urged
For Commitments
Mental Health
Laws Studied
In Virginia

Ff 6~H~%A WIZ N@Sn
Of reviewing Virginia's mental
health laws. recommended
yesterday that more stringent
safeguards be inaugurated to
prevent the unjustified COM
mitment Of patients.
1t also recommended that
the 45-day period for which Q
patient may be held under an
observation commitment be ex-
tended to 80 days, and that the
commitment of alcoholics anc
drug addicts be discouraged.
The Mental Hygiene Com
mission, headed by State Sena-
tor E. E. Wiley of Richmond
was given its study assignment
by the 1862 General Assembly
1t made Is specific recommen-
dations in its report to Gov.
Harrison.
Benefit in Longer Stay
As for doubling the observa.
ton stay. the commission said
the patient often has under
gone an upsetting commitment
proceeding and the longer OBJ
servation stay might have per-
mitted him to have been re-
leased after treatment without
delay"
1t recommended that alco-
holes and drug addicts be
committed to private institu-
tons on the certificate Of two
physicians for a period limited
to 10 days. The commission
suggested that the private in
stitution could then take what
ever further action appears
appropriate"
On safeguards against unjus-
titled commitments, the COM
mission said:
The present provisions of
law should be strengthened te
insure that a person whose
com mitment is sought will
have the benefit of the active
assistance of counsel Of his
choice and a personal exami-
nation by any physician whose
, testimony is to be relied on in
> the commitment proceeding"
Other Proposals
r Other recommendations in.
/ cluded:
Modification of the automa-
tic forfeiture of the right to
drive on admission or commit
ment to an institution because
Of a mental disorder. The COM
mission said that because the
present provision is so unyield-
ing, some persons who need
treatment avoid it rather thar
lose driving privileges. The
commission suggested that 10
days prior to release, the hospi-
tsk head advise the division of
motor vehicles whether he con-
siders the patient capable of
driving.
Marriages should be voidable
on the grounds of insanity or
feeblemindedness only when
the condition has been estab-
lished by court proceedings.
Commitment of epileptics
. should be limited to cases
where the convulsive disorders
are accompanied by a mental
condition which would of itself
justify commitment.
Detention in Jail of commit
ted persons prior to admission
to an institution should be pro-
hibited unless authorized for
good cause by the presiding
judge, with notice to the COM
missioner of mental hygiene
and hospitals.
For Observation
Persons accused or convicted
of crime and suspected of men,
tai illness should be sent for
observation only to the State
hospitals having departments
for the criminally mentally Ill
Southwestern State at Marion
and Central State at Peters
burg and provision should be
m a de for determination of
mental condition by a commits
sion rather than a jury, pre-
serving the right to a jury trial
when insanity is pleaded as a
defense.
Use of out-patient care for
quiet and not dangerous men,
tai patients should be facilitate
ed, including elimination of the
"unrealiStic limitation" of $40
weekly on costs paid to suitable
families who provide the care.
The statute fixing fees to be
/ allowed in commitment pro-
ceedings should be amended to
make it plain that the fees are
not contingent on commitment.
!, Licensing of institutions
treating alcoholics only should
be transferred to the S State
Health Department.
Detention in institutions for
48 hours should be permitted
for potentially dangerous pa
tients when it is not possible to
( a emble the members of a
committing commission i'm
mediately. r=