Misadventures of an Accidental Psychiatrist Tourist
Tuesday, June 1st, 2004It’s called a 5150. It’s a law found in the California Welfare & Institutions Code granting the State authority to place people determined dangerous to self and/or others in psychiatric detention for 72 hours. It happens when someone thinks someone else is acting scary or dangerous, and calls 911. In San Francisco, we spend City money to train police officers on how to respond to this type of emergency call because so many people in psychiatric crisis wind up injured or dead after the SFPD intervenes.
