When your teen needs more mental health support than outpatient care can provide, working out what happens next can be confusing. Maybe their symptoms have suddenly become worse. Or perhaps their therapist has suggested hospital treatment, but your teen is refusing to go. You might find yourself wondering, Can I admit my child to hospital myself? What happens if they refuse? What does “commitment” actually mean?
Involuntary commitment of minors in Minnesota is one possibility, but it isn’t simply a decision that a parent or doctor can make on their own. There are specific legal criteria and safeguards involved in the process.
This page walks you through mental health commitment of teens in Minnesota, covering:
Please note: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions about the laws for mental health care for minors in Minnesota, please consult a qualified attorney regarding your specific situation.
Adolescent mental health commitment is a legal process in which a court can require someone to receive mental health treatment when specific legal criteria are met.[1] This is sometimes called “civil commitment” or “involuntary commitment.”
To put it simply, it means a teen may sometimes, in very specific circumstances, receive treatment even when they don’t agree to it.
For example, imagine your 17-year-old has become very unwell, and their doctor recommends hospital treatment. Your teen might be frightened but, after talking it through, they agree to be admitted as an inpatient. This would usually be considered “voluntary admission” or “voluntary treatment,” which Minnesota law says is the preferred option.[2]
But what if your teen refuses to go?
If professionals believe your teen meets the legal criteria for commitment, and voluntary treatment isn’t possible, they may consider starting the Minnesota civil commitment of minors process.
Yet, commitment isn’t as simple as saying, “My teen needs to be hospitalized,” and it happens straight away. As their parent, you can raise concerns, explain what you’ve been seeing at home, and ask for your teen to receive help and support.
However, adolescent civil commitment for mental health in Minnesota is a legal process involving assessments and safeguards. Ultimately, the court then makes the final decision on whether your teen is admitted to a hospital for treatment.
So, what’s the difference between voluntary and involuntary commitment of minors in Minnesota? And are there any other hospitalization options?
“Voluntary treatment” means receiving care without a civil commitment order.
Under Minnesota commitment laws, the rules about consent differ depending on the adolescent’s age. For instance:[2]
So, if your 16- or 17-year-old tells you that they want hospital treatment, they may be able to ask for it themselves. For a younger teen, you’d usually be more directly involved in giving consent.
Yet asking for hospital treatment doesn’t necessarily guarantee your teen will be admitted for hospital care. A healthcare professional will still need to assess them and decide whether voluntary admission is an appropriate option for them.
And if your doctor recommends that your 16- or 17-year-old teen receive hospital care but they say, “I’m not going,” this doesn’t automatically mean the court needs to get involved. In some situations, parental consent may override their teen’s refusal and still allow admission, as long as the legal and clinical requirements are met.[2]
Emergency admission, also known as an “emergency hold,” is separate from civil commitment and voluntary treatment. This distinction can be confusing, especially if your teen has been taken to hospital during a crisis.
In a nutshell, there are certain circumstances in which a teen may be temporarily held in hospital for evaluation and safety reasons when there are serious concerns about immediate harm.[3] This gives professionals time to assess what’s happening and decide what the most appropriate treatment would be.
The outcome might be for your teen to be discharged and go home with you or that they agree to voluntary treatment. Sometimes, the result may be that the civil commitment process begins.
Involuntary commitment is when the court becomes involved in your teen’s mental health care. A judge considers the evidence, whether the legal criteria have been met, whether there’s a less restrictive way for your teen to receive care, or whether commitment is appropriate.
For many parents, one of the hardest parts of this process is knowing that the final decision is out of your hands.
Involuntary hospitalization for teens in Minnesota is generally not the first treatment option for mental health issues. However, there may be times when a teen is seriously unwell, voluntary treatment isn’t possible, or professionals believe the criteria for youth psychiatric commitment may be met.
For example, concerns may come up when a teen:
So, can parents commit a teenager in Minnesota? Not by themselves. Parents can raise concerns and ask for an investigation, but involuntary commitment ultimately requires a court order.
Mission Prep is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
If you’ve never dealt with the court system before, the process for involuntary commitment of minors in Minnesota can sound intimidating. There are several stages and legal safeguards involved, and the exact process may vary depending on your teen’s circumstances.
But generally, involuntary psychiatric admission of a minor in Minnesota follows this process:[4][5][6]
The process may start when someone, such as a parent, doctor, or other professional, asks the county to investigate whether commitment might be needed for your teen. It could also follow an emergency admission protocol when there are immediate safety concerns.
A county screening team gathers information about what’s happening and whether the commitment criteria may be met. They might talk to parents, hospital staff, or other professionals involved in your teen’s care. They also look at less restrictive ways to provide treatment, if possible.
If commitment is recommended, a formal petition is filed with the court to start the process. This petition includes evidence supporting the request for commitment and is usually accompanied by an examiner’s statement based on a recent exam.
A court-appointed examiner, often a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, assesses your teen and whether commitment may be appropriate. The case may involve a preliminary hearing followed by a commitment hearing, where the court considers all the evidence and whether the legal requirements are met.
The judge decides whether the criteria for commitment have been met. If so, the court determines the appropriate treatment setting, with less restrictive options considered when possible. If the criteria aren’t met, the teen may instead receive voluntary or community-based treatment.
Seeing your teen experience a mental health crisis can be highly frightening. And if they don’t want treatment, you may be dealing with anger, tears, accusations, or a child who just shuts down and refuses to say a word.
You might not know what to say, and that’s okay. You don’t need to find the perfect words or persuade your teen to agree with every decision being made.
Whether their admission is voluntary or involuntary, the following are some practical ways you can help them feel supported:
Your teen may be angry or scared about receiving treatment that they don’t necessarily want, but you can still show them that you’re there for them and that you care.
Take a tour of our teen residential mental health facilities located in Minnetonka, MN. Our locations offer peace & comfort within a residential environment where teenagers, aged 12-17, can relax and focus on themselves.
Our well-appointed facilities are located in on the west side of the Metro area and serve teens from across Minnesota.
A hospital stay or commitment isn’t the end of the story when it comes to mental health treatment. Your teen may still need support once the immediate crisis has passed, and you might have questions about what happens when they leave the hospital.
What comes next often depends on your child’s symptoms, safety needs, and ongoing requirements for support. Some teens may need regular outpatient therapy, while others may benefit from more structured support.
At Mission Prep Teen Treatment, we offer tailored treatment programs and use evidence-based therapeutic approaches and innovative interventions to foster sustainable change for adolescents and their families.
Our residential treatment locations provide 24/7 support in home-like settings, with treatment designed specifically for adolescents. This can help remove some of the fear of the unknown for teens, as their comfort will be assured every step of the way.
Whether your teen could benefit from residential treatment or something more flexible, like a virtual intensive outpatient mental health program to treat their mental health concerns, our team can help.
Mission Prep Teen Treatment accepts insurance and is in-network with most major providers. We are happy to help you check your insurance coverage for mental health care.
Contact us online or call 866-901-4047 to speak with a caring member of our team who can answer any questions you might have. Reach out for a free, no-obligation conversation.
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