Alcohol and mental health problems demand actionBy Patrick KrillBench and Bar, May 2016A recently published study confirms a substantial level of behavioral health problems among attorneys and, in short, reveals cause for great concern.
Appellate updateBy Andreas LiewaldMental Health Law, May 2016Illinois Supreme Court
In re Linda B., 2015 IL App (1st) 132134 (February 18, 2015)
Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission has filed a PLA and has filed a Motion for Extension. Respondent was held on medical floor for 17 days before a petition for involuntary admission was filed.
Your client has just been found not guilty by reason of insanity—Your work is not overBy Mark J. HeyrmanMental Health Law, May 2016Following this successful defense, counsel must ensure that: (1) the defendant is transferred promptly to a Department of Human Services facility for an evaluation; (2) the defendant receives a commitment hearing; and (3) if the defendant is committed, he is given a commitment which is no longer than authorized under 730 ILCS 5/5-2-4(b).
New laws in 2016By Joseph T. MonahanMental Health Law, April 2016The new year brought a variety of new laws and amendments to existing laws taking effect in Illinois.
Appellate updateBy Andreas LiewaldMental Health Law, March 2016Recent cases of interest.
Review of Illinois mental health legislation—2015By Mark J. HeyrmanMental Health Law, March 2016Highlights of the bills passed in Illinois in 2015 that affect those who work in the mental health field.
Reporting under FOID ActBy Joseph T. MonahanMental Health Law, June 2015Attorneys representing physicians, hospitals, therapists and other medical and mental health practitioners must be aware of the requirements under the Act to properly advise their clients as to how to satisfy their duty to report.
How to properly issue subpoenas for mental health recordsBy Scott D. HammerMental Health Law, May 2015Since attorneys can be successfully sued for failing to follow Section 10(d) of the Confidentiality Act, it would be in every attorney’s best interest to learn and comply with the necessary requirements before issuing a subpoena for mental health records.
Mental health legislation adopted by the Illinois Legislature in 2014By Mark HeyrmanMental Health Law, March 2015During its 2014 session, the Illinois legislature enacted a number of provisions affecting persons with mental illnesses. This article summarizes the most important of these.
Requirement that parents relinquish custody of their children in order to get mental health services addressed by new state lawBy Patricia A. WernerMental Health Law, March 2015For decades, Illinois parents who could not afford intensive mental health services for their child had two options: deny the child needed mental health services or give custody to the Department of Children and Family Services so the child could receive the necessary treatment. A new law that became effective on January 1, 2015 aims to resolve this issue.
Some new (and old) ways to fix the mental health system in IllinoisBy Meryl Sosa & Mark J. HeyrmanMental Health Law, March 2015Hospital emergency rooms throughout Illinois, and across the country, increasingly encounter the problem of "psychiatric boarding"—caring for patients with significant mental health issues in the hospital’s emergency department while waiting for an inpatient hospital bed or transfer to another inpatient facility. This article examines this problem and offers some ways to address it.
Some new (and old) ways to fix the mental health system in IllinoisBy Meryl Sosa & Mark J. HeyrmanHealth Care Law, March 2015Hospital emergency rooms throughout Illinois, and across the country, increasingly encounter the problem of "psychiatric boarding"—caring for patients with significant mental health issues in the hospital’s emergency department while waiting for an inpatient hospital bed or transfer to another inpatient facility. This article examines this problem and offers some ways to address it.