Wisconsin\u27s Chapter 51 - The Mental Health Act, and the Proposed Fifth Standard of Dangerousness for Civil Commitment Legislation: A Policy Analysis

The purpose of this study was to analyse policy implications qhich sought to explore Chapter 51 of the Wisconsin statutes, the Mental Health Act, and the proposed fifth standard of dangerousness of civil commitment. Civil Commitment is a process that affords the mentally ill with necessary treatment for their illness on a court ordered involuntary basis. The proposed fifth standard legislation would introduce a need for treatment criteria to Wisconsin\u27s current four standards of dangerousness that would be designed to be preventive in nature; to provide treatment at the onset of mental regression vs. allowing a person to become dangerous to self or others before treatment is provided. There are ethical concerns with the proposed legislation: 1) the denial of civil rights, primarily, inappropriate civil commitments, and 2) failure to provide treatment to those in need