involuntary hospitalization and outpatient services laws - Disability ...

Involuntary Admission Application
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An emergency application must be completed before a person can be
admitted to a psychiatric hospital involuntarily. This application is called the “blue
paper” in Maine.
34-B M.R.S.A. §3863
Likelihood of Serious Harm
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“Likelihood of serious harm”, is a term that is used both for the blue paper
and in judicial commitment and appears in this manual frequently. In the context
of inpatient involuntary hospitalization it means 2 :
A substantial risk of physical harm to the person, as shown by recent threats of,
or attempts at, suicide or serious self-inflicted bodily harm, OR
A substantial risk of physical harm to others as shown by recent homicidal or
violent behavior or by recent actions that placed others in reasonable fear of
serious physical harm, OR
A reasonable certainty that the person will suffer severe physical or mental
harm as shown by recent behavior that demonstrates the person’s inability to
avoid or protect themself from such impairment or injury AND
34-B MRSA § 3801
Part 1 of the Blue Paper
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Any person, including health professionals and law enforcement officers, may
complete Part 1 of the blue paper. The person must state his or her belief that:
The person to be examined has a mental illness
The person poses a likelihood of serious harm because of the mental illness
The person must also state why they have these beliefs.
34-B MRSA § 3863(1)
2 The term has a different meaning when used in involuntary outpatient services. That definition appears on page 27
this manual in the section covering outpatient services.
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