Uh, NO. The standard is "adjudicated as mentally defective". Adjudicated means that the case against you was presented to a judge or jury and that you were given the chance to confront your accuser and argue in your defense.
Three-Day Involuntary Hospitalization Under Section 12(b)
Before being admitted for a three-day involuntary hospitalization in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, you must be given the opportunity to choose conditional voluntary status. The involuntary hospitalization expires after three business days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) unless the hospital petitions the district court for your commitment. A hearing will then be conducted within five business days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) following the hospital’s petition to the court.
If you have been involuntarily hospitalized under Section 12(b), the hospital is required upon your request to contact the Committee for Public Counsel Services, and a lawyer will be appointed to meet with you.
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As I recall.. from ,my psych hospital days for the sake of this discussion. We would get patients come in from the local ER depressed. On a "Three Day" typically they would be voluntary. My guess is their section 12 is just filed somewhere and went no where. Most Section 12s were from Medical Providers. Police Officers do fill file them occasionally, but typically don't like to.
This wouldn't be a factor for an LTC probably, unless your well known to the local police department for mental health calls.
Especially if it was say a bad "teenage" crisis you had 20 years ago.
A lot of these cases were placed on simple outpatient style psychiatric medications and sent on their way and then given referral for outpatient services.
The ones that weren't voluntary saw a Judge within three days who has "court" at the hospital even brought her robe, and a white shirt court officer with her. Typically these patients were severely mentally ill. Some were "committed" to the private hospital. Another court hearing was held to determine if they were getting "better". Some of these patients were eventually sent to the State Hospital after a 6 month wait or so. This was back when Commonwealth of MA actually sort of took care of the non forensic severe mentally ill in the State Hospital System. Now it is an afterthought.
One Psychiatrist once said to me. If mental health was a heart attack, it would be treated in the ER with Aspirin x 1 and the patient discharged, starting a never ending revolving door of psychiatric hospital admissions.