(a) Anyone, including a law enforcement officer, who has knowledge of an individual who is subject to inpatient commitment according to the criteria of G.S. 122C-261(a) and who requires immediate hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others, may transport the individual directly to an area facility or other place, including a State facility for the mentally ill, for examination by a physician or eligible psychologist in accordance with G.S. 122C-263(c).
(b) Upon examination by the physician or eligible psychologist, if the individual meets the criteria required in G.S. 122C-261(a), the physician or eligible psychologist shall so certify in writing before any official authorized to administer oaths. The certificate shall also state the reason that the individual requires immediate hospitalization. If the physician or eligible psychologist knows or has reason to believe that the individual is mentally retarded, the certificate shall so state.
(c) If the physician or eligible psychologist executes the oath, appearance before a magistrate shall be waived. The physician or eligible psychologist shall send a copy of the certificate to the clerk of superior court by the most reliable and expeditious means. If it cannot be reasonably anticipated that the clerk will receive the copy within 24 hours, excluding Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, of the time that it was signed, the physician or eligible psychologist shall also communicate the findings to the clerk by telephone.
(d) Anyone, including a law enforcement officer if necessary, may transport the individual to a 24-hour facility described in G.S. 122C-252 for examination and treatment pending a district court hearing. If there is no area 24-hour facility and if the respondent is indigent and unable to pay for care at a private 24-hour facility, the law enforcement officer or other designated person providing transportation shall take the respondent to a State facility for the mentally ill designated by the Commission in accordance with G.S. 143B-147(a)(1)a and immediately notify the clerk of superior court of this action. The physician's or eligible psychologist's certificate shall serve as the custody order and the law enforcement officer or other designated person shall provide transportation in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 122C-251.
In the event an individual known or reasonably believed to be mentally retarded is transported to a State facility for the mentally ill, in no event shall that individual be admitted to that facility except as follows:
(1) Persons described in G.S. 122C-266(b);
(2) Persons admitted pursuant to G.S. 15A-1321;
(3) Respondents who are so extremely dangerous as to pose a serious threat to the community and to other patients committed to non-State hospital psychiatric inpatient units, as determined by the Director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services or his designee; and
(4) Respondents who are so gravely disabled by both multiple disorders and medical fragility or multiple disorders and deafness that alternative care is inappropriate, as determined by the Director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services or his designee.
Individuals transported to a State facility for the mentally ill who are not admitted by the facility may be transported by law enforcement officers or designated staff of the State facility in State-owned vehicles to an appropriate 24-hour facility that provides psychiatric inpatient care.
No later than 24 hours after the transfer, the responsible professional at the original facility shall notify the petitioner, the clerk of court, and, if consent is granted by the respondent, the next of kin, that the transfer has been completed.
(e) Respondents received at a 24-hour facility under the provisions of this section shall be examined by a second physician in accordance with G.S. 122C-266. After receipt of notification that the district court has determined reasonable grounds for the commitment, further proceedings shall be carried out in the same way as for all other respondents under this Part. (1973, c. 726, s. 1; c. 1408, s. 1; 1985, c. 589, s. 2; c. 695, s. 2; 1987, c. 596, s. 1; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 739, s. 7.)
Sections: Previous 122C-242 122C-251 122C-252 122C-253 122C-254 122C-255 122C-261 122C-262 122C-263 122C-263.1 122C-263.2 122C-264 122C-265 122C-266 122C-267 Next
Last modified: March 23, 2014