psychiatric evaluations

The pop star was forced into psychiatric care — and compelled to pay for it. That could happen to anyone during an episode of serious mental illness, adding a financial threat to the health woes.

Nearly three years after the state of Illinois agreed in a court settlement to revamp mental health care in prisons and provide better treatment, a judge says the care remains "grossly insufficient."

The draft health care bill has a provision meant to increase the availability of inpatient psychiatric care. But overall cuts to Medicaid could actually lead to even fewer psychiatric beds nationwide.

Psychiatric patients have longer ER stays than patients with physical problems, research shows, and have trouble finding inpatient care and follow-up treatment. Kids can be among the hardest hit.

Jail is too dangerous for many defendants found incompetent to stand trial because of illnesses like schizophrenia, judges say. But psychiatric hospitals are now overcrowded and violent, too.