Court Opinion

ID: 9750397
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 14:55:54.856336+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:26:08.737495
License: Public Domain

ROGERS, Associate Judge,
concurring:
I join in reversing the judgment on the ground that the trial court failed to make a finding that inpatient commitment was the least restrictive alternative treatment to Ms. Stokes. In re James, 507 A.2d 155, 158 (D.C.1986). See Griffith v. Kentucky, 479 U.S. 314, 107 S.Ct. 708, 93 L.Ed.2d 649 (1987). See also In re Richardson, 481 A.2d 473, 480 (D.C.1984); In re Mills, 467 A.2d 971, 975 (D.C.1983); Lake v. Cameron, 124 U.S.App.D.C. 264, 364 F.2d 657, cert. denied, 382 U.S. 863, 86 S.Ct. 126, 15 L.Ed.2d 100 (1966). Instead the court focused on the responsibility of the Mental Health Commission and others to identify the least restrictive treatment alternative for a patient at the time of the patient’s initial commitment. At no time during the hearing did the court acknowledge that this was a continuing responsibility of the court when a revocation of outpatient commitment is sought by the hospital. The court simply concluded that Ms. Stokes “would be a serious problem if returned to the community” because she would not continue to take her medication. Neither the statute nor judicial opinions in this jurisdiction sanction that ground alone as a basis for revocation of outpatient treatment. See, e.g., In re Richardson, supra, 481 A.2d at 479 n. 5; accord, In re James, supra, 507 A.2d at 158.