Can we involuntarily admit a family member in a crisis?
Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.
– Written by
Allan Schwartz, Ph.D.
– Updated on August 25, 2025
Question
My father appears to be experiencing a serious mental health crisis. He has never been diagnosed with any mental illness to our knowledge but his recent behavior is deeply concerning. We believe he urgently needs professional help before someone gets hurt. He is clearly acting in a deranged and dangerous manner.
We fear that if we call the police and no immediate action is taken to remove him from the home, he may harm someone. We want him to be admitted to a mental health facility but we are certain he will refuse treatment voluntarily. Is it possible to have him admitted without his consent? Who should we contact, and what steps do we need to take?
Last night, he stripped naked and woke everyone by screaming, “I am going to kill you all,” while holding a butcher’s knife. This morning, when we confronted him about his actions, he denied even holding the knife.
-Seeking Help
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Answer
Dear Seeking Help
Yes, there are times when a person can be taken to the hospital against their will and those times are when an individual is a danger to their self or to other people. Your father was clearly out of control and was a very real threat to members of the family. You report that last night he was wielding a knife, stripped naked screaming that he was going to kill everyone in the house. What you should have done and what you can still do is call 911 and report that your father is behaving in a mentally ill way, wielding a knife and threatening to kill the family.
Under those circumstances there would have been no question that he would have been taken to the emergency room and held for 72 hours for evaluation. After that time he would have been placed in a psychiatric hospital unless the Doctors believed he was no longer a threat. Considering the seriousness of what you report, I doubt he would be sent home anytime soon. You can still do this because even though he might be calmer now it could happen again tonight and everyone at home is fearful. It is important that you act quickly.
The question is what is happening to your father? If he is using drugs he will be sent to a hospital for detox and released. If he is becoming demented due to Alzheimer’s disease or some other process he will be treated and recommendations will be made to the family. If he has always been mentally ill and this is a relapse they will send him to a psychiatric hospital and medicate him until he is stable again. These are just a few of the possibilities.
Best of luck.
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Jesse Hanson, Ph.D., is a somatic psychologist with more than 20 years of experience in clinical psychology and neuropsychology.
Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D. is a medical writer with more than 30 years of clinical experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He writes on a wide range of mental health topics, including mood and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, trauma, abuse, stress, and relationship challenges.
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Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.
– Written by
Allan Schwartz, Ph.D.
– Updated on August 25, 2025
Additional Reading
The Clinical Affairs Team at MentalHealth.com is a dedicated group of medical professionals with diverse and extensive clinical experience. They actively contribute to the development of content, products, and services, and meticulously review all medical material before publication to ensure accuracy and alignment with current research and conversations in mental health. For more information, please visit the Editorial Policy.
We are a health technology company that guides people toward self-understanding and connection. The platform provides reliable resources, accessible services, and nurturing communities. Its purpose is to educate, support, and empower people in their pursuit of well-being.