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Research ArticleARTICLES

The Emergency Petition Process in Maryland

Geetha Jayaram, Jeffrey S. Janofsky and Pamela J. Fischer
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online December 1990, 18 (4) 373-378;
Geetha Jayaram
MD
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Jeffrey S. Janofsky
MD
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Pamela J. Fischer
PhD
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Abstract

Maryland’s Emergency Petition statute allows a violent or suicidal person with a mental disorder to be brought to an emergency facility for rapid evaluation regarding the need for emergency treatment. Although many states have similar laws, little has been written in the psychiatric literature about the emergency petition process. The investigators evaluated emergency petition documents, demographic data, and the adequacy of emergency room records for all patients brought to a large county hospital in Prince Georges County, Maryland, by emergency petition during a one-month period. All emergency petition patients in Prince Georges County are brought to this hospital site. Of 94 petitioned patients examined during the study period, 92 records were available for review. The emergency petition was found to meet appropriate legal criteria in 94 percent of cases. More than half of all patients evaluated were intoxicated on alcohol or illicit drugs, and the majority of these patients were released from the emergency room as no longer dangerous after their acute intoxication resolved. In contrast to previous studies most of the patients evaluated were affluent, had health insurance, and were employed.

  • Copyright © 1990, The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
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Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online: 18 (4)
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
Vol. 18, Issue 4
1 Dec 1990
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The Emergency Petition Process in Maryland
Geetha Jayaram, Jeffrey S. Janofsky, Pamela J. Fischer
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Dec 1990, 18 (4) 373-378;

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The Emergency Petition Process in Maryland
Geetha Jayaram, Jeffrey S. Janofsky, Pamela J. Fischer
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Dec 1990, 18 (4) 373-378;
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