Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:379-383
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
A review of major implications of the O'Connor v. Donaldson decision
LE Kopolow
Although the Supreme Court's decision in O'Connor v. Donaldson is narrow
from the legal perspective, it will have wide clinical applications for
psychiatry if it reflects a trend in future court decisions. The author
assesses the impact of this decision on the mental health profession in
terms of the issue of dangerousness as grounds for involuntary commitment
for psychiatric treatment, the principle of least restrictive alternative
to hospitalization, the question of adequacy of treatment in light of the
absence of nationally defined standards, and the personal liability of
physicians for their professional actions.
