Disabled patients’ wishes ignored

Disabled patients’ wishes ignored


January 22, 2012
By Peter Schworm

 The wishes of individuals declared mentally incompetent often go unheeded in family court, lawyers and social workers say, costing them control over the most personal decisions.

In light of this month’s stunning family court ruling that a woman diagnosed with schizophrenia should undergo an abortion and be sterilized, mental health specialists say the case, while an extreme example, casts light on an often unsettling reality for those deemed unable to make decisions for themselves.

Even when individuals voice opposition to a course of treatment, from antipsychotic medication to hospitalization, the courts often rule otherwise, lawyers say.

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http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-22/metro/30650025_1_family-court-mental-health-mental-illness