The Louisiana Advisory Committee (Committee) to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission) will convene a series of public, web-based briefings to discuss the role of coroners in involuntary commitments in Louisiana. The Louisiana Advisory Committee will issue findings and recommendations in a report to the Commission after all testimony has been received.
Chair Tia Mills said, “The Louisiana Advisory Committee is eager to understand whether unqualified coroners and deputy coroners are executing Coroner Emergency Certificates. We also hope to understand whether, to what extent, and how the role of coroners in the involuntary commitment of individuals experiencing mental health crises may violate due process protections on the basis of disability. Finally, we seek information on whether there are potential civil rights concerns on the basis of race, color, or national origin in order to inform our report to the Commission.”
The Committee seeks testimony from citizens, mental health professionals, public officials, community organizations, and community advocates, as well as documentary evidence from such individuals.
Date: October 27, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central Time
Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/2ed8zrnh
Telephone Access (Audio Only): 1-833-435-1820, Webinar ID: 160 927 8965
Closed captioning is available by selecting “CC” in the Zoom meeting platform. Individuals requiring accommodations should contact Corrine Sanders at csanders@usccr.gov at least 10 business days prior to the briefing.
Members of the public will be invited to make oral comments for three minutes on the topic at the conclusion of the briefing. Members of the public are also invited to submit written comments to mtrachtenberg@usccr.gov within 30 days of the briefings to be included in the public record.
mtrachtenberg@usccr.gov