What to look for in assessment for fit for confinement

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PsyMD

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Dear All.

I am freshly started psych intern. I got posting in psych ED and there are lot of cases brought by police for assessment of fit for confinement?? Can somebody plz explain what are the details to look in such assessment and how to proceed ahead??

Thanks in advance.

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Your attendings should be guiding you on this. Especially in context of state laws.
 
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I would second Sushirolls. Make sure you get clear instructions from your attendings.

Likely what is needed from you is a determination of whether the patient needs hospital level psychiatric care. If so, then you admit. If not, then police will likely retain custody and jail the individual.
 
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I've never heard of such a thing.
 
Yep. This sounds like a very state specific thing. I'm always very interested in how other states do things. I found this for Missouri at least explaining what it is to those of us who have never heard of it. https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-loui...edure-1401-1425/js-policy-and-procedure-1401/ No advice given on how exactly to do it. My guess would be it might mean there's no acute medical or psychiatric condition to address, ie you don't want to admit them to the medical or psychiatric units? Anyways, like others said, you're stuck with your attending on this.
 
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I've never heard of this either and we see plenty of patients brought in by cops, both as dumps and people actually in custody, so concur with everyone else that this must be state specific and either you need to post your state to see who might know the local info or have a talk with your attendings and PDs. This isn't something you should be left on your own to figure out.
 
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