Citation

Appelbaum PS. Psychiatr. Serv. 2019; 70(4): 350-352.

Affiliation

Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine and Law, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York City.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.201900060

PMID

30841841

Abstract

What degree of responsibility do universities have to prevent student suicide or violence on campus? This question was the focus of two recent state supreme court decisions, in Massachusetts and in California. Looking to legal rules that define when duties exist to protect third parties, both courts held that the unique aspects of the campus setting create a responsibility for universities to take reasonable steps to protect students from themselves and each other. Widening the scope of institutional liability in this way could encourage schools to overreact to students with mental health problems, making them less likely to come forward for treatment.

Language: en

Keywords

Law and psychiatry; Suicide and self-destructive behavior; liability; universities and colleges