What is Crisis Prevention Legislation?
Under current law, people who have been involuntarily committed for longer than 14 days consecutively, may not possess firearms. However, individuals subject to 72-hour involuntary holds may still legally purchase firearms. Even an individual who has received multiple 72-hour holds or has been intermittently held for 14 days or longer remains eligible to possess a firearm despite the potential risk to themselves or others.
Suicide Crisis Prevention legislation helps prevent suicide and violent crises by temporarily restricting access to firearms of people who have been held for mental health treatment for 72-hours.
Why Crisis Prevention Legislation?
National studies show that people who have been subject to 72-hour mental health holds are at greater risk of suicide. One study showed that:
• 75% of gun-eligible people used a gun to complete suicide
• 33% of those arrested for a violent gun crime had a 72-hour involuntary hold on record
Suicide Crisis Prevention can save lives by helping to ensure those in crisis do not have access to firearms.