Civil Commitment Unit
We work to protect people who are struggling with mental illness, developmental disability or chemical dependency from harming themselves or others, while ensuring they receive the treatment they need. We also handle all indeterminate commitments including those who are found to be 'Mentally Ill and Dangerous' and 'Sexually Dangerous Persons.'
Important
- If you are concerned for the immediate safety of your loved one or others, call 9-1-1.
- If your concern is not immediately life-threatening, call Ramsey County Urgent Care for Adult Mental Health at 651-266-7900. They can help you assess your loved one’s mental health needs and, if necessary, arrange for his/her transportation to a hospital for further assessment.
Petition process
Filing
Any adult or interested party may prepare and present a petition for commitment of an individual. Typically, a treating hospital or health care facility serves as a petitioner. A doctor must certify that the patient is mentally ill or chemically dependent and likely to cause substantial harm to themselves or others. The petition and all of the attachments that describe the patient’s recent behaviors and reasons for supporting commitment are then forwarded to the Health and Wellness Department – Adult Mental Health Division Prepetition Screening Unit (PPSU). If the PPSU rejects the petition, the petitioner is notified and may appeal the decision directly to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. If the PPSU recommends commitment, it drafts a report and submits it to the Commitment Unit in the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.
For more information call the Prepetition Screening Unit at 651-955-1643.
Rejection
- If the PPSU rejects the petition, the petitioner is notified and may appeal the decision directly to the PPSU office.
- For questions, please call the Ramsey County Community Human Services Prepetition Screening Unit at 651-955-1643.
Important notes
- Mentally ill and dangerous (MI&D) and sexually dangerous person (SDP) cases are different from other commitments because they last for an indeterminate amount of time.
- If either the patient or the treatment facility believes the patient is ready for a less restrictive placement, a request for discharge can be made.
- More about MI&D and SDP commitments.
Court process
Legal assistance
- When a petition is filed to commit a patient, an attorney is selected to represent the patient throughout the commitment process.
- The patient also has the option of hiring his/her own private attorney.
- The attorney advocates for the patient’s wishes and legal interests and represents the patient in court throughout the commitment process.
Court process
- Preliminary hearing: an attempt to settle the case. If case is settled, the process ends here.
- Evidentiary hearing: to determine if the patient needs to remain in the treatment facility until the commitment process is complete.
- For this hearing, licensed psychologists interview the patient.
- Examine his/her treatment records.
- Prepare a written report to the court with their recommendations about commitment and treatment.
- Trial: occurs only when the evidentiary hearing fails to settle the case.
- Our attorney calls witnesses and submits evidence documenting why the patient should be committed.
- The patient, through his/her lawyer, can also question witnesses and present evidence of his/her own.
- The court then determines whether the evidence supports the need for commitmen
Committment length
- Patients remain in a hospital setting only as long as that level of care is needed.
- After that, they will be discharged to a less restrictive setting and assigned the services of a county case manager.