title: Emergency commitment and legislative reform in New Jersey.
abstract: The effects of a state commitment law that combines use of the dangerousness criterion, screening for less restrictive alternatives, and a new mental health structure were investigated. A time-series analysis of the number of commitments in a 12-year period at one screening center revealed that the expected outcome of the legislation--a decrease in state-hospital commitments--was not realized.
authors.affiliation: Elizabeth General Medical Center, N.J., USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kessen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006783:Hospitals, State / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D009515:New Jersey; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012648:Self Care; D012737:Sex Factors; D012922:Social Change; D013219:State Government; D014754:Violence