“Judge says New Hampshire must end practice of involuntarily holding psychiatric patients in hospitals”
According to local reporting in Mancester, NH:
“‘The permanent injunction order issued by Judge McCafferty in federal district court is an important step forward for patients suffering from an acute psychiatric crisis and their families,’ said Vanessa Stafford, spokeswoman for the New Hampshire Hospital Association, in a written statement. ‘The permanent injunction requires the commissioner to finally end the practice of ED boarding no later than 12 months after the date of the injunction, and importantly requires the commissioner to accept the transfer of an involuntary emergency admission patient within six hours of the completion of an IEA certificate.’
The new order says the state can only hold people in emergency rooms for up to six hours. The patient must then be transferred to a facility for treatment.
‘We are committed to working with stakeholders in the mental health system to eliminate boarding in hospital emergency rooms,’ DHHS spokesman Jake Leon said in a written statement. ‘Our priority remains the health, safety and well-being of people living with a mental health condition. … We will consider all available options to comply with the order.”