probate warrant?

[parent]

Dr. Bradley -

My husband and I have a drug addicted 16 year old son, T-Man. We are strongly considering hiring a lawyer to see about getting our son admitted into a mental hospital for evaulation. What do you think about this? What does it entail? If he is found not to have a clinical mental issue, do they then release him or does he get into the system? We have few options right now because we found out, after waiting for months, that our son's name isn't even entered in the juvenile court data base. Someone messed up- which now puts our son on the waiting list. It could mean another long wait.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Thank you!

T-Man's Mom

[Mike Bradley]

Dear Parent,
The answers to your questions all depend upon the laws in your particular state. I would suggest that you speak with an attorney or youth advocate who can better apprise you as to your options.
I can tell you that in most states, you cannot force your son into evaluation or treatment unless (1) he is a clear and present danger to himself or others and/or (2) he is so committed by a judge. Even then, he will likely be seen for a short period of time, and believe it or not, at 16 is usually considered to be an adult, and thus able to decide if he wants treatment or not.
I can also tell you that treatment rarely works unless the recipient wants it. So your best bet is to work to get your son to admit that he has a problem and that he wants and needs treatment. If he's not there yet, consider getting him to see a counselor (via bribes or privilege take-aways) who may help him to confront his problem, and to then facilitate admission into a therapy program.
Good luck and please let us know how you make out.