Use of summons in involuntary civil commitment.

Washington state provides a number of mechanisms through which mentally ill individuals may be involuntarily committed. One method that has drawn considerable attention of late is a procedure whereby individuals may be summoned to an evaluation and treatment facility for 72 hours· by a county-designated mental health professional (CDMHP) in nonemergency circumstances. The issuance of a summons in a nonemergency situation is the subject of a recent Washington Supreme Court ruling, in re Harris, 98 Wash. 2d 276, 654 P.2d 109 (1982), and is the basis for the discussion that follows. In this article we discuss the summons procedure used prior to the Harris case and the changes required by the Harris decision. We present empirical data which describe pre-Harris use of the summons and the attributes of clients who were summoned for involuntary commitment. We then discuss the implications of Harris and the likelihood that Harris will accomplish the objectives stated by the court.