title: Competency determinations in civil commitment.
abstract: The authors present a brief overview of competency determinations in criminal justice and civil commitment proceedings and review the American Psychiatric Association's Model Commitment Statute, which gives competency a central role. They present an alternative proposal that involves determining a person's competency to undergo civil commitment before a formal commitment hearing and delineates the responsibilities of legal and medical decision makers in the commitment process.
mesh_terms: D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D032882:Comprehension; D003416:Criminal Law; D006801:Humans; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D026706:Paternalism; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States