SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2008 SESSION

  • | print version

SB 246 Involuntary commitment; establishes new standards for outpatient commitment.

Introduced by: Janet D. Howell | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Involuntary commitment; outpatient treatment; etc. Changes the criteria for emergency custody orders, temporary detention orders, and involuntary commitment proceedings, including how that criteria is applied to prisoners and juveniles, so that a person may be taken into emergency custody, placed under temporary detention, or involuntarily committed where it is found that the person has a mental illness and there exists a substantial likelihood that, as a result of mental illness, the person will, in the near future (i) cause serious physical harm to himself or others as evidenced by recent behavior causing, attempting, or threatening harm and other relevant information, if any, or (ii) suffer serious harm due to his lack of capacity to protect himself from harm or to provide for his basic human needs. The bill also provides that a person who meets the criteria for involuntary commitment may be ordered to mandatory outpatient treatment if less restrictive alternatives to involuntary inpatient treatment are appropriate and are available, and the person has the capacity to comply with such outpatient treatment and has agreed to abide by the treatment plan. The bill also sets forth how such mandatory outpatient treatment will be monitored and how a person's noncompliance with such treatment will be addressed. The bill also provides that, upon request, any health care provider or other provider rendering services to persons subject to emergency custody orders, temporary detention orders, or involuntary commitment proceedings shall disclose to certain entities and individuals all information necessary and appropriate for the entities or individuals to perform their duties in relation to such orders or proceedings. Any health care provider shall be immune for any harm resulting from the disclosure of health records unless he intended the harm or acted in bad faith. The bill also authorizes a single two-hour extension of an emergency custody order; provides that a person under a temporary detention order may be released prior to 48 hours after the order is executed if the person does not pose a danger to himself or others; expands those persons qualified to perform an independent examination of a person prior to a commitment hearing to include clinical social workers, professional counselors, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists; sets forth factors that may be considered when determining whether probable cause exists to issue an emergency custody order or temporary detention order and factors that shall be considered prior to entry of an involuntary commitment order or mandatory outpatient treatment order; and makes several changes concerning the conduct of prescreening reports and independent examinations and the presentation of these reports or examinations at the required hearings. This bill incorporates SB 75, SB 78, SB 79, SB 80, SB 96, SB 97, SB 101, SB 103, SB 104, SB 129, SB 139, SB 140, SB 144, SB 217, SB 220, SB 273, SB 341, and SB 769. This bill is identical to HB 499.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Involuntary commitment.  Changes the criteria for emergency custody orders, temporary detention orders, and involuntary commitment so that a person may be taken into emergency custody, placed under temporary detention, or involuntarily committed where it is found that the person has a mental illness and there exists a substantial likelihood that, as a result of mental illness, the person will, in the near future (i) cause serious physical harm to himself or others as evidenced by recent behavior causing, attempting, or threatening harm, or (ii) suffer serious harm due to substantial deterioration of his capacity to protect himself from harm or to provide for his basic human needs as evidenced by current circumstances. The bill also provides that a person who meets the criteria for involuntary commitment may be ordered to mandatory outpatient treatment if less restrictive alternatives to involuntary inpatient treatment are appropriate and are available, and the person has the capacity to comply with such outpatient treatment and has agreed to abide by the treatment plan. The director of a facility in which a person is involuntarily committed may transfer such person to mandatory outpatient treatment, after determining that the necessary services are available, if such person meets the criteria for mandatory outpatient treatment. The bill also sets forth the duties of the community services board or behavioral health authority to monitor a person ordered to mandatory outpatient treatment. The bill also requires a health care provider or other provider rendering services to a person subject to involuntary commitment proceedings to disclose to certain entities and individuals all information necessary and appropriate for the entities or individuals to perform their duties related to the commitment proceedings. The bill also authorizes a single four-hour extension of an emergency custody order; provides that a person under a temporary detention order may be released prior to 48 hours after the order is executed if the person does not pose a danger to himself or others; expands those persons qualified to perform an independent examination of a person prior to a commitment hearing to include clinical social workers, professional counselors, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists; sets forth factors that may be considered when determining whether probable cause exists to issue an emergency custody order or temporary detention order; and makes several changes concerning the conduct of prescreening reports and independent examinations and the presentation of these reports or examinations at the required hearings.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Involuntary commitment.  Establishes a new standard for involuntary outpatient commitment authorizing involuntary commitment where the person has a mental illness and there exists a substantial likelihood that, as a result of mental illness, the person will, in the near future (i) cause serious physical harm to himself or others as evidenced by recent behavior causing, attempting, or threatening harm, or (ii) suffer serious harm due to substantial deterioration of his capacity to protect himself from harm or to provide for his basic human needs. This bill also requires a provider of mental health services to disclose records to a magistrate, the court, the person's attorney, the examiner, a community services board (CSB) or behavioral health authority, or law-enforcement officer; authorizes a single four-hour extension of an emergency custody order; provides that a person under a temporary detention order may be released prior to 48 hours after the order is executed if the person does not pose a danger to himself or others; specifies records and evidence that must be reviewed prior to an independent examination; requires that a representative of the CSB preparing the preadmission screening report attend each commitment hearing; establishes additional requirements for outpatient commitment; requires an outpatient treatment plan be filed with the outpatient order; and clarifies the monitoring duty of the community services board.