DC AG warns hospitals of involuntary hospitalizations

[Anonymous]

Apologies if this should be in the 7 nights of action thread but it seems like a topic worthy of separate attention and discussion.

This is just insane.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2025/08/11/dc-ag-warns-involuntary-commitments-dc-trump-homeless/

[Anonymous]

Ok where? Everything is full.

[Anonymous]

This is such a terrible idea. They are going to take hospital beds away from citizens who need it for people who legally will have to be processed and released. What a waste of hospital resources. They have to proved "danger to self or others" and being homeless does not qualify.

Who is going to pay for all this waste and abuse?

[Anonymous]

With this and the cuts to Medicaid/Medicare they're going to basically force hospitals out of business.

[Anonymous]

So those of us who want medical care won't have beds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So those of us who want medical care won't have beds?

+1

This is truly concerning. Hospitals need to be used by those with medical issues/emergencies.

[Anonymous]

What are the other options? One option is to allow these people (often mentally ill) to stay in a homeless encampment. The other is to forcibly remove them and send for treatment. Are there other options? In most cases I’d assume at least a medical evaluation is necessary.

[Anonymous]

As a healthcare professional, this is infuriating. If the government actually wants to get involved in "helping" the homeless with mental health issues they would invest money into our abysmal mental health system. I have patients waiting days, if not weeks, on holds in the ER waiting for inpatient psych beds. It's a completely inappropriate place for them because they are not getting the care they need and the atmosphere is not helpful. And it takes up resources that we don't have.

[Anonymous]

More of this! This is the actually compassionate way to treat these people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a healthcare professional, this is infuriating. If the government actually wants to get involved in "helping" the homeless with mental health issues they would invest money into our abysmal mental health system. I have patients waiting days, if not weeks, on holds in the ER waiting for inpatient psych beds. It's a completely inappropriate place for them because they are not getting the care they need and the atmosphere is not helpful. And it takes up resources that we don't have.

Of course but this takes time.

Curious why you think your patients waiting for an inpatient psych bed should receive one over a homeless person who is determined to need a psych bed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More of this! This is the actually compassionate way to treat these people.

It’s doing something. The shrugging of our shoulders while people live in the streets has not accomplished anything at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the other options? One option is to allow these people (often mentally ill) to stay in a homeless encampment. The other is to forcibly remove them and send for treatment. Are there other options? In most cases I’d assume at least a medical evaluation is necessary.

Once upon a time, there are asylums. But Reagan closed them down and the GOP cut funding for additional services over the ensuing 40 years, so here we are. Maybe Trump wants to "make asylums great again" (its a whole new MAGA)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the other options? One option is to allow these people (often mentally ill) to stay in a homeless encampment. The other is to forcibly remove them and send for treatment. Are there other options? In most cases I’d assume at least a medical evaluation is necessary.

There was the Nazi Germany option and since Trump hasn't addressed the question, that is my assumption, sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apologies if this should be in the 7 nights of action thread but it seems like a topic worthy of separate attention and discussion.

This is just insane.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2025/08/11/dc-ag-warns-involuntary-commitments-dc-trump-homeless/

You want mentally ill people staying on the streets?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So those of us who want medical care won't have beds?

+1

This is truly concerning. Hospitals need to be used by those with medical issues/emergencies.

Obviously you haven’t been to Emergency lately. Our hospitals are ALREADY full of people who shouldn’t be there.