§ 23-1.10-11. Emergency commitment.
(a) An intoxicated person who (1) has threatened, attempted, or inflicted physical harm on himself or herself or another and is likely to inflict physical harm on himself or herself or another unless committed, or (2) is incapacitated by alcohol, may be committed to an approved public treatment facility for emergency treatment. A refusal to undergo treatment does not constitute evidence of lack of judgment as to the need for treatment.
(b) The certifying physician, spouse, guardian, or relative of the person to be committed, or any other responsible person, may make a written application for commitment under this section, directed to the administrator of the approved public treatment facility. The application shall state facts to support the need for emergency treatment and be accompanied by a physician’s certificate stating that he or she has examined the person sought to be committed within two (2) days before the certificate’s date and facts supporting the need for emergency treatment.
(c) Upon approval of the application by the administrator in charge of the approved public treatment facility, the person shall be brought to the facility by a peace officer, health officer, the applicant for commitment, the patient’s spouse, the patient’s guardian, or any other interested person. The person shall be retained at the facility to which he or she was admitted, or transferred to another appropriate public or private treatment facility, until discharged under subsection (e).
(d) The administrator in charge of an approved public treatment facility shall refuse an application if in his or her opinion the application and certificate failed to sustain the grounds for commitment.
(e) When, on the advice of the medical staff, the administrator determines that the grounds for commitment no longer exist, he or she shall discharge a person committed under this section. No person committed under this section may be detained in any treatment facility for more than ten (10) days. If a petition for involuntary commitment under § 23-1.10-12 has been filed within the ten (10) days and the administrator in charge of an approved public treatment facility finds that grounds for emergency commitment still exist, he or she may detain the person until the petition has been heard and determined, but no longer than ten (10) days after filing the petition.
(f) A copy of the written application for commitment and of the physician’s certificate, and a written explanation of the person’s right to counsel, shall be given to the person within twenty-four (24) hours after commitment by the administrator, who shall provide a reasonable opportunity for the person to consult counsel.
History of Section.
P.L. 1972, ch. 130, § 1; P.L. 1973, ch. 196, § 1; P.L. 1984, ch. 122, § 1; G.L. 1956,
§ 40.1-4-11; P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 14, § 4.