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Oklahoma Bar Journal

OBJ2020September 1

September 2020 | Mental Health

Feature Articles

Requiring Mental Health Treatment and Involuntary Commitment
Every living human being is equipped with the equivalent of an electrochemical supercomputer capable of operating your basic bodily functions such as respiration and digestion, operating heavy machinery like your automobile in rush-hour traffic and pondering inchoate problems like what to have for dinner (taking into account the current contents of your refrigerator and determining if you need to stop at the grocery store on your way home) all at the same time.

Service and Support Animals for People with Mental Impairments
Legal confusion and public opinion about service and support animals abounds. News stories and internet searches reveal depictions of out of control animals, falsified documents and an unregulated market of companies selling unnecessary products such as vests and certifications. In response, some states, including Oklahoma, have enacted laws to punish individuals who attempt to pass a pet as a service or support animal1 in the context of rental housing.2 

Finding the Keys to Unlock Behavioral Health Records
Have you ever submitted a subpoena to an alcohol and drug counselor, a licensed professional counselor or a psychiatric facility and received a form letter denying you the records you requested? Perhaps you’ve submitted what you thought was a properly executed consent for release of medical records only to receive a similar denial?

Plus Articles

What’s Sex Got to Do With It?
The Landmark Cases Before the Supreme Court That Broadened the Meaning of ‘Sex’
On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) made a landmark decision changing the lives of many in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) community, making it illegal for employers to discriminate against them because of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Virtual Courtroom is Now in Session
“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.”1 The COVID-19 pandemic has instigated change in our lives and touched every industry across the country. For schools, students were moved to online platforms in place of classrooms. Gyms and yoga studios were limited to offering various workouts and classes online.