Doing the Impossible - Hospitalizing Someone You Love Against Their Will[Episode 4]

Due to popular demand, Tom jumped into one of the hottest (translation: painful and confusing) topics for parent and family caregivers:  having to use a mobile crisis team to get a loved one into the hospital against their will  -  all in the interest of keeping them safe.

While this topic requires A LOT of coverage, Tom gives his listeners a primer on the things that really matter:  first, who are the players, what are their roles, and what are the rules of engagement. Secondly, what does the parent or family caregiver need to know, plan for, and expect in this otherwise highly chaotic, overwhelming event (that usually concludes with helping the cops handcuff some you love and take them to the hospital). And why is this necessary?  Because the family or mental health providers have concluded that their psychotic thinking or despair makes them a certain risk to kill themselves or endanger the community.

Tom wants this episode and its content to be a digestible “how to” about dealing with this most dreaded of all interventions for families dealing with a mental illness.  He reviews his crisis care checklist and rules of engagement so the event can be as tolerable and as successful as possible.  From knowing the law, to dealing with the police, and managing their thinking and stress, Tom walks his listeners through this most painful and courageous act of love.