Which statement best defines a GD Adult?

• A. A person with a mental disorder who cannot meet basic needs for food, clothing, or shelter.
• B. A person with a mental disorder who requires only medical treatment.
• C. A person who refuses all services but can meet needs on their own.
• D. A person with a mental disorder who is a danger to others but can provide for own needs.

Answer: (A)

Gravely disabled means a person with a mental disorder cannot meet their basic personal needs for food, clothing, or shelter. This inability to care for core needs arises from the mental disorder and is the defining factor for this status, which is what the statement is capturing. It isn’t about needing only medical treatment, and it isn’t about refusing services while still meeting basic needs. The danger-to-others aspect is a separate concern and does not define gravely disabled by itself; the key point is the inability to provide for one’s own basic needs.