In this article, our Illinois mental health lawyers explain the rights mental patients have in Illinois.

When a person receives mental health services, he or she cannot be denied any rights, privileges, or benefits guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions. Moreover, a person being admitted or treated for a mental health issue by a mental health facility it doesn’t automatically declared legally incompetent. Legal competency is determined at a separate court hearing and if a person is deemed legally incompetent, the court appoints a guardian to assist that person, manage their assets, and make life decisions on their behalf.

Read more about Illinois mental health patients from our Illinois mental health attorneys.

Emergency involuntary commitment occurs when a person with mental illness is admitted to a mental health facility for a temporary period of time, typically against his or her will. This is typically done to protect the patient or others from potentially destructive behavior.

In the following companion article on emergency involuntary commitment, our team of mental health lawyers takes a look at how to navigate the potential stressors of committing someone to a mental health facility. We cover some of the typical difficulties that can arise, such as preparing a petition for involuntary commitment, obtaining clinician certificates, and understanding what to do once a commitment has been completed.

If you or a loved one was involuntarily committed to a mental health facility, you might be able to appeal that mental healthcare decision.

Our Illinois mental health attorneys use this companion article to further explore information we laid out in our "Appealing Mental Healthcare Decisions" video.

In it, we give you everything you need to know about how and where to file a complaint in Illinois mental health cases, as well as give you a broad view of how to navigate the appeals process.