Heathco v. State Department of Human Resources

HOLMES, Judge.

This case involves the involuntary commitment of a child to the Alabama Department of Mental Health.

In February 1988 the Department of Human Resources of Mobile County (DHR) was awarded custody of the child. A petition requesting the involuntary commitment of the child was filed, but later withdrawn due to the availability of the child’s stepmother’s medical insurance allowing placement of the child in a private hospital. When the stepmother’s insurance would no longer cover the private hospital placement, DHR filed a second petition, requesting involuntary commitment on April…