"In many states, a minor may be hospitalized at the initiative of a parent or guardian, without the consent of the minor and without judicial review." (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3882/is_200401/ai_n9383805) The 1979 Parham v. J.R. (http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=442&invol=584) decision reversed a federal district court ruling that Georgia's commitment laws for adolescents deprived them of due process.
The laws do vary from state to state-- for instance, in Florida, in order for a minor to be admitted to an institution on voluntary status, he or she must consent to the admission which their guardian applied for-- and some states (such as California) have differing laws for admission to public versus private institutions.
In many states, however, risk of harming self/others is not a necessary condition for the institutionalization of a minor-- for instance, in New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina. In New York, the only criterion required is that the adult applying for the minor's admission must understand that the child is being admitted to a psychiatric facility.
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The laws do vary from state to state-- for instance, in Florida, in order for a minor to be admitted to an institution on voluntary status, he or she must consent to the admission which their guardian applied for-- and some states (such as California) have differing laws for admission to public versus private institutions.
In many states, however, risk of harming self/others is not a necessary condition for the institutionalization of a minor-- for instance, in New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina. In New York, the only criterion required is that the adult applying for the minor's admission must understand that the child is being admitted to a psychiatric facility.