Public Act 0804 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4199 Enrolled LRB095 14509 DRJ 40417 b

Public Act 095-0804

AN ACT concerning health.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code is amended by changing Sections 3-503 and 3-504 as follows:

(405 ILCS 5/3-503) (from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 3-503)

Sec. 3-503. Admission on application of parent or guardian.

(a) Any minor may be admitted to a mental health facility for inpatient treatment upon application to the facility director, if the facility director finds that the minor has a mental illness or emotional disturbance of such severity that hospitalization is necessary and that the minor is likely to benefit from inpatient treatment. Except in cases of admission under Section 3-504, prior to admission, a psychiatrist, clinical social worker, clinical professional counselor, or clinical psychologist who has personally examined the minor shall state in writing that the minor meets the standard for admission. The statement shall set forth in detail the reasons for that conclusion and shall indicate what alternatives to hospitalization have been explored.

(b) The application may be executed by a parent or guardian or, in the absence of a parent or guardian, by a person in loco parentis. Application may be made for a minor who is a ward of the State by the Department of Children and Family Services or by the Department of Corrections.

(Source: P.A. 91-726, eff. 6-2-00.)

(405 ILCS 5/3-504) (from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 3-504)

Sec. 3-504. Minors; emergency admissions.

(a) A minor who is eligible for admission under Section 3-503 and who is in a condition that immediate hospitalization is necessary may be admitted upon the application of a parent or guardian, or person in loco parentis, or of an interested person 18 years of age or older when, after diligent effort, the minor's parent, guardian or person in loco parentis cannot be located or refuses to consent to admission. Following admission of the minor, the facility director of the mental health facility shall continue efforts to locate the minor's parent, guardian or person in loco parentis. If that person is located and consents in writing to the admission, the minor may continue to be hospitalized. However, upon notification of the admission, the parent, guardian or person in loco parentis may request the minor's discharge subject to the provisions of Section 3-508.

(b) A peace officer may take a minor into custody and transport the minor to a mental health facility when, as a result of his personal observation, the peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the minor is eligible for admission under Section 3-503 and is in a condition that immediate hospitalization is necessary in order to protect the minor or others from physical harm. Upon arrival at the facility, the peace officer shall complete an application under Section 3-503 and shall further include a detailed statement of the reason for the assertion that immediate hospitalization is necessary, including a description of any acts or significant threats supporting the assertion, the time and place of the occurrence of those acts or threats, and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of other witnesses of those acts or threats.

(c) If no parent, guardian or person in loco parentis can be found within 3 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, after the admission of a minor, or if that person refuses either to consent to admission of the minor or to request his discharge, a petition shall be filed under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 to ensure that appropriate guardianship is provided.

(d) If, however, a court finds, based on the evaluation by a psychiatrist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed clinical professional counselor, or licensed clinical psychologist or the testimony or other information offered by a parent, guardian, person acting in loco parentis or other interested adults, that it is necessary in order to complete an examination of a minor, the court may order that the minor be admitted to a mental health facility pending examination and may order a peace officer or other person to transport the minor to the facility.

(e) If a parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis is unable to transport a minor to a mental health facility for examination, the parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis may petition the court to compel a peace officer to take the minor into custody and transport the minor to a mental health facility for examination. The court may grant the order if the court finds, based on the evaluation by a psychiatrist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed clinical professional counselor, or licensed clinical psychologist or the testimony of a parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis that the examination is necessary and that the assistance of a peace officer is required to effectuate admission of the minor to a mental health facility.

(f) Within 24 hours after admission under this Section, a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist who has personally examined the minor shall certify in writing that the minor meets the standard for admission. If no certificate is furnished, the minor shall be discharged immediately.

(Source: P.A. 91-726, eff. 6-2-00.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.