They don't let you do that. And the evangelical nutballs that populate at least one half of all community mental health organizations actually look at you funny for suggesting it. And then they have the nerve to pay your an hour.

My neighbor beats his 9 year old daughter. We can hear them do it through the walls. We've called the cops many times (as has everyone who happens to share a wall with them), and Child Protective Services.

Nobody can do shit.

It sucks.

Maybe they could have stopped buying Bam?

If he's put into a mental hospital at all, it'll likely only be a short term residential. at least at first. Depending upon how that goes, they may send him somewhere more long term. In all likelihood, however, if the kid doesn't have any other living responsible relatives (or relatives the state can simply pawn the kid off on, qualified or not) he'll end up in either a state run group home or a state-paid foster family.

And there's always the chance that if the current guardians complete parenting classes, etcetera etcetera, he may be sent back to live with them.