Involuntary Commitment in Pennsylvania (Section 302)

Pennsylvania's Mental Health Procedures Act lets a doctor, officer, or county administrator begin a 302 emergency hold of up to 120 hours.

Need help with this? Talk to someone now. Free and confidential. For you, or for someone you're worried about.

Key takeaway

Pennsylvania's Section 302 lets a physician, police officer, or county mental health administrator start an involuntary emergency examination. A person can be held for up to 120 hours, and a physician must examine them within two hours of arrival. Longer treatment needs a court. This is education, not legal advice.

Last updated: Mon Oct 26 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Published: October 26, 2026

Updated: October 26, 2026

If someone you love is in a mental health crisis and will not get help, every hour can feel like a year. You want to know what Pennsylvania will actually do, and what you can do tonight. The short answer is that the state has a specific emergency tool, and it has limits.

Call 911 if someone is overdosing, not breathing, violent, or in immediate danger. Call or text 988 for a mental health crisis.

How does a Pennsylvania 302 hold work?

It depends on who sees the danger and how clearly they see it. A physician can certify that an examination is needed, or a county mental health administrator can issue a warrant, or a physician or peace officer can act on conduct they personally observed. The emergency hold lasts up to 120 hours. A doctor must examine the person within two hours of arrival, and if they are not severely mentally disabled, they are released. If they are, treatment can begin, and a longer hold takes a court.

Pennsylvania's Section 302 lets a physician, police officer, or county mental health administrator start an involuntary emergency examination. The hold can run up to 120 hours, with a physician exam required within two hours. Longer treatment needs a court. This is education, not legal advice.

What Section 302 is

Section 302 of the Mental Health Procedures Act of 1976, also cited as 50 P.S. 7302, is the emergency door. It allows an involuntary emergency examination and treatment for a person who is severely mentally disabled and in need of immediate treatment. The 120-hour limit is the ceiling, not a guarantee of that long a stay. The state's OMHSAS bulletin explains that the clock starts when the county administrator signs the warrant or authorizes transport, and that a missed two-hour exam means the person must be released or the process restarted the right way.

How a hold can begin

There is more than one way in. A physician can certify the need for examination at a treatment facility. A county administrator can issue a warrant after a written application shows reasonable grounds. Or, if a physician or peace officer personally observes conduct that shows the need, they can take the person to an approved facility without a warrant and write a statement on arrival. A family member cannot do any of these directly, but a call to the county mental health administrator or the local crisis line can set the process moving.

What comes after 120 hours

An emergency hold is short by design. At the end, one of three things happens: the person is discharged, they agree to voluntary treatment, or the facility asks a court to extend care. Section 303 allows extended involuntary emergency treatment for up to 20 days. Section 304 allows court-ordered involuntary treatment for up to 90 days. Section 305 covers additional periods in defined cases. Each step gives the person more chance to be heard.

The least restrictive idea

Pennsylvania law prefers the least restrictive setting that still meets the need, and most mental health care is voluntary. That means a judge or a review officer is meant to ask whether someone can be treated safely outside a locked ward before ordering confinement. A hospital is not the automatic answer, even when a hold has started.

The substance use question

Families often expect the drinking or drug use itself to be enough, and usually it is not. The test is being severely mentally disabled under the act. A 2019 report prepared for SAMHSA found that every state's civil commitment standard requires a serious mental illness, and the usual definition leaves substance use disorders out. A mental illness alongside the substance use can still meet the test. If a program asks you to pay for a cross-state placement fee, treat that as a warning sign.

If they will still talk to you

Keep the voluntary door open while you sort the legal one. Offer a ride. Sit with them and look at FindTreatment.gov. Pennsylvania Medicaid and state-funded care may cover parts of treatment, and the Pennsylvania Medicaid guide and the state-funded rehab guide explain what to check. For the conversation, the guide for when they refuse treatment is a warm place to start.

Next step tonight

If someone is in danger right now, call 911. If it is a mental health crisis, call or text 988, or reach the county mental health administrator's crisis line. You can also read the basics of how commitment works, or compare how nearby states handle it: Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri. If they will consider treatment, call or text (800) 653-9376 for help finding programs in Pennsylvania.

Call or text (800) 653-9376 when you want Pennsylvania treatment options named while you sort the legal side.

Additional Resources

Sources cited on this page:

Common Questions

How long is a Pennsylvania 302 hold?

Up to 120 hours, which is five days. The clock starts when the county administrator signs the warrant or authorizes transport. The person must also be seen by a physician within two hours of arriving at the evaluation site, as of October 2026.

Who can start a 302 in Pennsylvania?

A physician can certify the need for examination, a county mental health administrator can issue a warrant, or a physician or peace officer who personally observed the person's conduct can take them to a facility without a warrant. A family member is not on the list, but can call the county crisis line.

What happens after the 120 hours?

The person is discharged, agrees to voluntary care, or the facility seeks a court order to extend treatment. Section 303 allows up to 20 more days, and Section 304 allows court-ordered treatment up to 90 days.

Does a substance use problem by itself qualify?

Usually not. The standard is being severely mentally disabled under the act. A 2019 report prepared for SAMHSA found that the usual civil commitment test leaves substance use disorders out, though a mental illness alongside the substance use can still meet it.

What can I do tonight?

If someone is in danger, call 911. If it is a mental health crisis, call or text 988, or call the county mental health administrator's crisis line. If they will still talk with you, keep the voluntary door open.