The following is applicable to an investigation initiated by a community mental health and developmental disabilities program director, or a designee of the director, as part of commitment procedures under ORS 426.070 and 426.228 to 426.235:
(1) If the allegedly mentally ill person is held in custody before the hearing the investigation shall be completed at least 24 hours before the hearing under ORS 426.095, otherwise the investigation shall comply with the following time schedule:
(a) If the allegedly mentally ill person can be located, the investigator shall contact the person within three judicial days from the date the community mental health and developmental disabilities program director or a designee receives a notice under ORS 426.070 alleging that the person is mentally ill.
(b) Within 15 days from the date the community mental health and developmental disabilities program director or a designee receives a notice under ORS 426.070 alleging that a person is mentally ill, one of the following shall occur:
(A) The investigation shall be completed and submitted to the court.
(B) An application for extension shall be made to the court under paragraph (c) of this subsection.
(c) The community mental health and developmental disabilities program director, a designee or the investigator may file for an extension of the time under paragraph (b) of this subsection only if one of the following occurs:
(A) A treatment option less restrictive than involuntary in-patient commitment is actively being pursued.
(B) The allegedly mentally ill person cannot be located.
(d) A court may grant an extension under paragraph (c) of this subsection for a time and upon the terms and conditions the court considers appropriate.
(2) This subsection establishes a nonexclusive list of provisions applicable to the content of the investigation, as follows:
(a) The investigation conducted should, where appropriate, include an interview or examination of the allegedly mentally ill person in the home of the person or other place familiar to the person.
(b) Whether or not the allegedly mentally ill person consents, the investigation should include interviews with any persons that the investigator has probable cause to believe have pertinent information regarding the investigation. If the allegedly mentally ill person objects to the contact with any person, the objection shall be noted in the investigator’s report.
(c) The investigator shall be allowed access to physicians, nurses or social workers and to medical records compiled during the current involuntary prehearing period of detention to determine probable cause and to develop alternatives to commitment. If commitment is proposed because the person appears to be a mentally ill person as defined in ORS 426.005 (1)(d)(C), the investigator shall be allowed access to medical records necessary to verify the existence of criteria described in ORS 426.005 (1)(d)(C). The investigator shall include pertinent parts of the medical record in the investigation report. Records and communications described in this paragraph and communications related thereto are not privileged under ORS 40.230, 40.235, 40.240 or 40.250.
(3) A copy of the investigation report shall be provided as soon as possible, but in no event later than 24 hours prior to the hearing, to the allegedly mentally ill person and to that person’s counsel. Copies shall likewise be provided to counsel assisting the court, to the examiners and to the court for use in questioning witnesses. [1987 c.903 §10; 1989 c.993 §5; 1993 c.484 §14; 1997 c.649 §1]
Section: Previous 426.005 426.010 426.020 426.030 426.060 426.070 426.072 426.074 426.075 426.080 426.090 426.095 426.100 426.110 426.120 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008