What Is A 5150 Hold

The 5150 Hold California: Explained

There are many times a person may struggle with mental health due to challenges in daily life. In some situations, those intense moments lead to very difficult outcomes. A person may be at risk to themselves or others. That is when someone needs to be able to take action to help them. A 5150 hold California law makes that possible.

Code 5150, section 5150, of the California Welfare and Institutions Code provides very specific rules for instituting a 72-hour hold. This law makes it possible to require up to 72 hours of an involuntary hold for a person exhibiting some type of mental psychosis or distress. All states have their own laws like this, just with different code designations. This law enables a police officer or other approved party to transport the individual to a treatment center – the location must be approved to provide stabilization in an acute environment.

This type of hold is allowed only under very specific situations. First, the individual must be a danger to him or herself. They may be a danger to other people. Or, they may be gravely disabled. If one of these three aspects applies, it allows for a stabilization period to be obtained. During this time, the person meets with a mental health professional, including a psychiatrist. This professional administers care based on the specific needs of the individual.

What Makes Someone Eligible for a 5150?

At the core of this law is the requirement that a person must meet specific 5150 hold criteria. As noted, a person must be a threat to themselves, a threat to other people, or be in a gravely disabled condition. If these three 5150 hold criteria are in place, the law applies and requires individuals to take action to get them the help needed.

Not just anyone can initiate this hold. It must be a police officer, a mental health professional that is authorized in their county, or a licensed member of a crisis team. Any one of these professionals can order a 5150. A person in a hospital setting may also be able to initiate the process by contacting the proper authorized individuals to take action.

The person must be taken to an authorized health center that holds certification for providing psychiatric care to patients. They cannot just go to a local ER. The treatment center must tell the individual his or her rights during their stay. That includes the legal right to contact a Patient’s Rights Advocate.

How Long Is a 5150 Hold in California?

A California 5150 hold lasts 72 hours from the time a person is escorted from their location by the police or other service to a psychiatric hospital. During this time, a person begins to receive treatment for their needs. While that 72 hours may expire on a very specific schedule, that does not mean a person’s care or treatment is completed within that time. Many times, people need much longer treatment for what’s occurring.

During the period of time they are in the hold, a person will be in an observation period. This is when a team will provide an assessment to the individual to determine if he or she meets criteria for involuntary hospitalization. The team will take a look at all aspects of their mental health and examine the individual to determine what could be happening and how stable the individual is.

At the end of the hold period, the team must determine if the individual continues to meet the same three criteria for being admitted into the hold. That includes being a danger to themselves, a danger to other people, or being gravely disabled. If that is the case, the attending psychiatrist will complete documentation to provide up to 14 days of intensive psychiatric treatment for the individual. This may be involuntary care.

5150 Hold California for Minors

Many times, a 5150 hold for minors is more complex and requires individuals to receive care in the least restrictive manner possible for their safety. The same basics apply in terms of meeting the 5150 hold criteria. The treatment period is still 72 hours.

A 5150 hold for minors may be applied in situations where the teen is facing an acute mental health event. That could be an incident in which the person has tried to take their own life or suffered some level of psychosis. The goal is to provide an individual with support during a teen mental health crisis as treatment is essential to avoid the onset of complications and long-term trauma.

It is important to support a young adult when he or she is on a California 5150 hold for minors. That may mean participating in their care as much as possible and maintaining communication with the team as much as allowable. It also may mean actively listening, rather than judging or telling a person how to behave. Most of the time, teens need someone to listen during these instances.

From there, post-discharge planning and preparation is completed. This often includes at least outpatient treatment for the individual and sometimes the family as well. Teen treatment centers create individualized programs to address the unique needs of young adults who may be battling numerous complications in their daily lives. A 5150 hold for minors doesn’t complete care. It is in place to help a person get assistance if they refuse.

Who Can Place a 5150 Hold in California?

California law specifically states that a person who is a mental health professional can initiate and place the 5150 hold for minors or adults. This person must be a designated professional in the county. This may be a police officer when they observe what is occurring and can provide safe confinement to the individual who has probable cause to make that officer believe he or she is going to hurt themselves or others. Only a person in charge or authorized for 5150 can take this action. That helps to provide the individual with support and minimizes any risk of a random 72-hour-old being placed.

Differences Between 5150 Hold and Acute Stabilization

There are differences between a California 5150 hold and acute stabilization. California’s 5150 hold for minors is a state or law taking control over a mental health situation and aiming to provide protection to the individual so they do not cause any harm to themselves, or others. It is often an intervention by a police officer.