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Code of Virginia

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Code of Virginia
Title 37.2. Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
Chapter 8. Emergency Custody and Voluntary and Involuntary Civil Admissions
12/10/2024

Article 2. Voluntary Admission.

§ 37.2-805. (Expires July 1, 2026) Voluntary admission.

Any state facility shall admit any person requesting admission who has been (i) screened by the community services board or behavioral health authority that serves the county or city where the person resides or, if impractical, where the person is located, or a certified evaluator, as defined in § 37.2-809, (ii) examined by a physician on the staff of the state facility, and (iii) deemed by the board, authority, or certified evaluator and the state facility physician to be in need of treatment, training, or habilitation in a state facility. Upon motion of the treating physician, a family member or personal representative of the person, or the community services board serving the county or city where the facility is located, the county or city where the person resides, or the county or city where the person receives treatment, a hearing shall be held prior to the release date of any person who has been the subject of a temporary detention order and voluntarily admitted himself in accordance with subsection B of § 37.2-814 to determine whether such person should be ordered to mandatory outpatient treatment pursuant to subsection D of § 37.2-817.01, except that such 36-month period shall not include any time during which the person was receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment or was incarcerated, as established by evidence admitted at the hearing, upon his release if such person, on at least two previous occasions within 36 months preceding the date of the hearing, has been (a) the subject of a temporary detention order and voluntarily admitted himself in accordance with subsection B of § 37.2-814 or (b) involuntarily admitted pursuant to § 37.2-817. A district court judge or special justice shall hold the hearing within 72 hours after receiving the motion for a mandatory outpatient treatment order; however, if the 72-hour period expires on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the hearing shall be held by the close of business on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

Code 1950, § 37-113; 1950, p. 915; 1964, c. 640; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-65; 1970, c. 46; 1972, cc. 639, 823; 1976, c. 671; 1980, c. 582; 1998, c. 446; 2005, c. 716; 2012, c. 300; 2013, c. 179; 2022, c. 763; 2024, c. 780.

§ 37.2-805. (Effective July 1, 2026) Voluntary admission.

Any state facility shall admit any person requesting admission who has been (i) screened by the community services board or behavioral health authority that serves the county or city where the person resides or, if impractical, where the person is located, (ii) examined by a physician on the staff of the state facility, and (iii) deemed by the board or authority and the state facility physician to be in need of treatment, training, or habilitation in a state facility. Upon motion of the treating physician, a family member or personal representative of the person, or the community services board serving the county or city where the facility is located, the county or city where the person resides, or the county or city where the person receives treatment, a hearing shall be held prior to the release date of any person who has been the subject of a temporary detention order and voluntarily admitted himself in accordance with subsection B of § 37.2-814 to determine whether such person should be ordered to mandatory outpatient treatment pursuant to subsection D of § 37.2-817.01, except that such 36-month period shall not include any time during which the person was receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment or was incarcerated, as established by evidence admitted at the hearing, upon his release if such person, on at least two previous occasions within 36 months preceding the date of the hearing, has been (a) the subject of a temporary detention order and voluntarily admitted himself in accordance with subsection B of § 37.2-814 or (b) involuntarily admitted pursuant to § 37.2-817. A district court judge or special justice shall hold the hearing within 72 hours after receiving the motion for a mandatory outpatient treatment order; however, if the 72-hour period expires on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the hearing shall be held by the close of business on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

Code 1950, § 37-113; 1950, p. 915; 1964, c. 640; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-65; 1970, c. 46; 1972, cc. 639, 823; 1976, c. 671; 1980, c. 582; 1998, c. 446; 2005, c. 716; 2012, c. 300; 2013, c. 179; 2022, c. 763; 2024, c. 780.

§ 37.2-805.1. Admission of incapacitated persons pursuant to advance directives or by guardians.

A. An agent for a person who has been determined to be incapable of making an informed decision may consent to the person's admission to a facility for no more than 10 calendar days if (i) prior to admission, a physician on the staff of or designated by the proposed admitting facility examines the person and states, in writing, that the person (a) has a mental illness, (b) is incapable of making an informed decision, as defined in § 54.1-2982, regarding admission, and (c) is in need of treatment in a facility; (ii) the proposed admitting facility is willing to admit the person; and (iii) the person has executed an advance directive in accordance with the Health Care Decisions Act (§ 54.1-2981 et seq.) authorizing his agent to consent to his admission to a facility and, if the person protests the admission, he has included in his advance directive specific authorization for his agent to make health care decisions even in the event of his protest as provided in § 54.1-2986.2. In addition, for admission to a state facility, the person shall first be screened by the community services board that serves the city or county where the person resides or, if impractical, where the person is located.

B. A guardian who has been appointed for an incapacitated person pursuant to Chapter 20 (§ 64.2-2000 et seq.) of Title 64.2 may consent to admission of that person to a facility for no more than 10 calendar days if (i) prior to admission, a physician on the staff of or designated by the proposed admitting facility examines the person and states, in writing, that the person (a) has a mental illness, (b) is incapable of making an informed decision, as defined in § 54.1-2982, regarding admission, and (c) is in need of treatment in a facility; (ii) the proposed admitting facility is willing to admit the person; and (iii) the guardianship order specifically authorizes the guardian to consent to the admission of such person to a facility, pursuant to § 64.2-2009. In addition, for admission to a state facility, the person shall first be screened by the community services board that serves the city or county where the person resides or, if impractical, where the person is located.

C. A person admitted to a facility pursuant to this section shall be discharged no later than 10 calendar days after admission unless, within that time, the person's continued admission is authorized under other provisions of law.

2009, cc. 211, 268.