S-3634.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6374
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 56th Legislature 2000 Regular Session
By Senators Long, Hargrove, Franklin, Stevens, Kohl‑Welles, Winsley and Costa
Read first time 01/14/2000. Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.
AN ACT Relating to notification and time limits for initial evaluations by the county designated mental health professional; and amending RCW 71.05.050.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 71.05.050 and 1998 c 297 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the right of
any person to apply voluntarily to any public or private agency or practitioner
for treatment of a mental disorder, either by direct application or by
referral. Any person voluntarily admitted for inpatient treatment to any
public or private agency shall be released immediately upon his or her
request. Any person voluntarily admitted for inpatient treatment to any public
or private agency shall orally be advised of the right to immediate release and
further advised of such rights in writing as are secured to them pursuant to
this chapter and their rights of access to attorneys, courts, and other legal
redress. Their condition and status shall be reviewed at least once each one
hundred eighty days for evaluation as to the need for further treatment and/or
possible release, at which time they shall again be advised of their right to
release upon request: PROVIDED HOWEVER, That if the professional staff of any
public or private agency or hospital regards a person voluntarily admitted who
requests release as presenting, as a result of a mental disorder, an imminent
likelihood of serious harm, or is gravely disabled, they may detain such person
for sufficient time to notify the county designated mental health professional
of such person's condition to enable the county designated mental health
professional to authorize such person being further held in custody or
transported to an evaluation and treatment center pursuant to the provisions of
this chapter, which shall in ordinary circumstances be no later than the next
judicial day: PROVIDED FURTHER, That if a person is brought to the emergency
room of a public or private agency or hospital for observation or treatment,
the person refuses voluntary admission, and the professional staff of the
public or private agency or hospital regard such person as presenting as a
result of a mental disorder an imminent likelihood of serious harm, or as
presenting an imminent danger because of grave disability, they may detain such
person for sufficient time to notify the county designated mental health
professional of such person's condition to enable the county designated mental
health professional to authorize such person being further held in custody or
transported to an evaluation treatment center pursuant to the conditions in
this chapter, but which time shall be no more than six hours from the time the
professional staff ((determine that an evaluation by)) notifies
the county designated mental health professional that an evaluation is
necessary. The professional staff must notify the county designated mental
health professional immediately upon determining that an evaluation is
necessary. When, in the opinion of the professional staff, medically necessary
treatment precludes the county designated mental health professional from
conducting the evaluation, the professional staff shall notify the county
designated mental health professional immediately upon completion of the
treatment.
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