Article Figures & Data
Tables
Respondent Characteristics Response Did Not Respond Female 22 (78.57) 4 White 27 (81.82) 5 Profession 5 Social work 8 (28.57) Psychologist 20 (71.43) Experience performing commitment evaluations, years 10.42 ± 10.99 3 Professional time performing commitment evaluations, % 89.50 ± 16.38 5 Frequency of performing commitment evaluations, n 3 Past week 3.50 ± 2.35 Past month 11.60 ± 7.81 Data are presented as mean ± SD or n. n = 33 respondents.
Characteristics Response Did Not Respond Respondent substance use, % Heroin 61.18 ± 19.51 5 Fentanyl 43.76 ± 24.44 4 Other opioid(s) 22.40 ± 17.89 3 Alcohol 59.90 ± 20.94 4 Cocaine 36.25 ± 22.16 5 Stimulants 19.27 ± 14.21 7 Benzodiazepines 36.55 ± 21.91 Cannabis 69.73 ± 28.69 7 Other 17.33 ± 13.79 Respondent risk behaviors, % Imminent danger to self 5.73 ± 0.84 Imminent danger to others 5.26 ± 0.70 Inability to care for/protect self 4.34 ± 0.84 Miscellaneous/unclear 4.20 ± 1.02 Concordance between judicial decision and evaluator recommendation, % 89.66 ± 7.48 Ever recommended commitment without full criteria met? (yes), n 19 (65.52) 4 Data are presented as mean ± SD or n. n = 33 respondents.
Risk Behaviors Response Did Not Respond Danger to self Attempting suicide 6.60 ± 0.89 3 Overdosing on drugs (e.g., losing consciousness or collapsing) 6.37 ± 1.03 3 Using fentanyl or fentanyl analog 5.90 ± 1.40 3 Mixing different kinds of drugs 5.53 ± 1.31 3 Thinking about suicide without a specific plan 5.30 ± 1.15 3 Coming close to being struck by a vehicle while walking or biking 5.07 ± 1.41 4 Using higher amounts of drugs than before 4.50 ± 1.53 3 Danger to others Physically hurting another person in any way on purpose 6.27 ± 1.08 3 Using a weapon like a stick, knife, or gun in a fight 6.17 ± 1.23 3 Driving or using heavy machinery while drunk or high 6.17 ± 1.12 3 Starting a fire on purpose 5.97 ± 1.88 3 Having trouble caring for one's child because of drug or alcohol use 5.77 ± 1.31 3 Threatening to physically harm someone 5.60 ± 1.07 3 Pressuring someone to engage in sexual activity against their will 5.27 ± 1.84 3 Stealing from someone directly, like mugging or snatching a purse or wallet 4.30 ± 1.69 3 Breaking into someone else's house, building, or car 4.17 ± 1.64 3 Having a driver's license suspended or revoked for moving violations 4.00 ± 2.24 3 Thinking about hurting someone else without acting on it 3.97 ± 1.35 3 Damaging someone else's property 3.59 ± 1.18 4 Inability to care for/protect self Starting a fire accidentally (e.g., leaving a burning cigarette unattended) 5.73 ± 1.44 3 Being pressured by someone to engage in sexual activity against one's will 5.62 ± 1.64 4 Not keeping up with necessary medical treatment 5.33 ± 1.21 3 Being physically hurt by another person in any way 4.97 ± 1.67 3 Sharing needles with others 4.83 ± 1.55 3 Not keeping up with necessary mental health treatment 4.83 ± 1.28 4 Being malnourished 4.23 ± 1.57 3 Being threatened by someone to do something one didn't want 3.61 ± 1.64 5 Having a loved one express general worry about one's safety 2.90 ± 1.79 3 Neglecting personal hygiene (e.g., bathing, brushing teeth, clean clothes) 2.70 ± 1.71 3 Having trouble keeping one's home/apartment clean 2.27 ± 1.48 3 Miscellaneous Hurting or being cruel to an animal or pet on purpose 5.20 ± 1.96 3 Having sex to get money, drugs, clothes, food, transport, a place to stay, or other things 4.67 ± 1.54 3 Being threatened or losing legal custody of one's child 4.57 ± 1.87 3 Experiencing a major loss (e.g., job, housing, close relationship) 3.43 ± 1.72 3 Witnessing someone else overdose on drugs 3.30 ± 1.51 3 Engaging in minor criminal behavior (e.g., shoplifting, vandalism, trespassing) 3.10 (1.58) 3 Data are presented as mean ± SD or n. n = 33 respondents.
Disagree Neutral Agree Civil commitment is an appropriate intervention for managing substance use and its associated risks. 16.7 (5) 6.7 (2) 76.7 (23) I would favor legislation that allowed certain health care workers to hospitalize patients involuntarily for short periods (e.g., up to 72 h) when substance use poses an imminent risk. 20.0 (6) 10.0 (3) 70.0 (21) Civil commitment hearings provide an efficient means of intervening to address the safety risks associated with substance use. 16.7 (5) 16.7 (5) 66.7 (20) Civil commitment for substance use does more harm than good. 73.3 (22) 20.0 (6) 6.7 (2) I feel confident in my ability to determine when there is “a likelihood of serious harm” in the context of civil commitment evaluations for substance use. 3.3 (1) 3.3 (1) 93.3 (28) I would like more training on what criteria are needed to justify civil commitment for substance use. 26.7 (8) 20.0 (6) 53.3 (16) Data are presented as percentage (n). n = 30 respondents.
↵a Not answered by 3 respondents.
