5150
Formal Definition
Section 5150 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code; a legal statute authorizing the involuntary detention of a person for 72-hour psychiatric evaluation when they present a danger to themselves or others, or are gravely disabled due to a mental health disorder.
How It's Used on the Ward
"They were 5150'd" or "put them on a 5150" — used colloquially even outside California as a generic term for involuntary psychiatric holds.
Example
""She was brought in on a 5150 after her roommate found her with a pill bottle. Medically cleared in the ED, now waiting for an inpatient psychiatric bed.""
Clinical Context
The 5150 is California-specific but the term has spread nationally as shorthand for any involuntary hold. After 72 hours, a 5250 (14-day hold) requires a Riese hearing if the patient refuses medication. Equivalent statutes: Florida = Baker Act, New York = Section 9.39, Texas = Emergency Detention. Key distinction: medical clearance ≠ psychiatric clearance. Patients frequently board in EDs for days awaiting psych placement.