![]() The process of involuntary commitment is necessary for patients who are unable to personally make safe decisions. In many situations, this course of action benefits the life of the patient, and involuntary commitment improves both their temporary psychological state and their future. The mental health care system in North Carolina must find a way to reconcile these opposing truths and reevaluate laws and protocols for involuntary commitments in the state. As evidenced by both statistics and personal narratives, involuntary commitment to mental facilities may be a necessary means of maintaining patients’ safety however, it may also cause harm to mentally ill patients. In interviews through the Stories to Save Lives research project with the Southern Oral History Program, patients and their family members such as Jim Kellenberger, Donna Smith, Donald Smith, and Nicholas Stratas have been able to share their perspectives and experiences with involuntary commitment in North Carolina. Data shows that involuntary commitments continue to multiply across North Carolina, and conversations about the benefits and detriments of the system become increasingly pertinent (Giles 1). ![]() ![]() Autonomy is stripped from the mentally ill individual for their safety while a judge decides whether they should be treated in a mental facility. Many voluntarily admit themselves to care facilities, while others, legally deemed dangerous to themselves or others due to mental illness or substance abuse, are involuntarily committed. By law, the state of North Carolina must provide assistance to individuals in mental health crises. ![]()
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