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The University of Washington’s Center for Mental Health, Policy, and the Law is pleased to host a webinar series on civil commitment. Civil commitment, or involuntary commitment, is a legal intervention by which a person with serious mental illness, or other criteria, may be ordered to a psychiatric hospital or receive supervised outpatient treatment for some period of time. Recent changes in the laws governing civil commitment across the country have fueled the longstanding debate about the role of civil commitment, understanding the balance between ensuring public welfare and protecting one’s civil liberties, and providing quality health care services within the mental health care continuum.
This series brings together an array of experts, including clinicians, legal professionals, educators, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience. The speakers will provide foundational as well as advanced content on civil commitment laws and processes, ethical considerations, and clinical practices for caring for persons with mental illness.
All are welcome to attend. The series is intended to be useful to both professional and community audiences.
Participants may attend one session or the entire series.
Series itinerary
More information to follow.
Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
“Civil Commitment 101: Overview of History and Current Practices” (Recording available)
Shadoe Jones, JD
Friday, December 13, 2024, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
“Civil Commitment Through the Ethics Lens: How We Got Here”
Philip Candilis, MD
Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
Civil commitment in Washington state
Dawn Macready-Santos, LICSW, DCR, and Laura Pippin, MSP, SUDPT, DCR
Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
“Lived Experiences with Civil Commitment”
Laura Van Tosh, Karen Schilde, and Carolynn Ponzoha
Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
“An Academic-State-Community Partnership to Create a CBT Continuum of Care for Involuntary Committees in Washington State”
Sarah Kopelovich, PhD, ABPP
Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
Youth civil commitment
Dawn Macready-Santos, LICSW
Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
“Policy Perspectives on Washington’s Continuum of Care for Severe Mental Illness”
Manka Dhingra, JD
Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PT
Final panel
Manka Dhingra, JD; Shadoe Jones, JD; Sarah Kopelovich, PhD, ABPP; Dawn Macready-Santos, LICSW; Laura Pippin, MSP, SUDPT, DCR; Laura Van Tosh
Learning objectives
- Understand the origins and development of civil commitment in the U.S.
- Become familiar with the standards and processes for civil commitment in Washington state
- Recognize ethical considerations in civil commitment
- Appreciate clinical guides and services in the treatment of persons with mental illness who are involved in civil commitment
- Understand common scenarios encountered by persons with lived experience with civil commitment
- Become familiar with policy considerations in the evaluation, implementation, and reform of civil commitment.
Continuing education
The University of Washington is an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, chemical dependency professionals, nurses and physicians under the provisions of: WAC 246-809-610, WAC 246-809-620, WAC 246-811-200, WAC 246-840-210, WAC 246-919-460 and WAC 246-924-240.
Accreditation with Commendation: The University of Washington School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation: The University of Washington School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 8 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. (Each session is worth 1 credit)