§ 5151 72-Hour Psychiatric Hold

Key Takeaways

•If someone is taken to a special place for help because they might hurt themselves or others, they can be kept there for up to 72 hours (3 days) to check on them and give them help.
•Weekends and holidays might not count toward the 72 hours if the place can't provide help on those days. The state has to approve this every 2 years.
•Before keeping someone, a doctor or nurse must talk to them face-to-face (in person or by video call) to decide if they really need to stay.

Example

If the police take someone to a hospital because they are acting dangerously, the hospital can keep them for up to 3 days to help them.

The hospital checks if the person needs help and keeps them for no more than 72 hours. If the hospital is closed on weekends, those days might not count toward the 72 hours.

(a) If the facility designated by the county for evaluation and treatment admits the person, it may detain the person for evaluation and treatment for a period not to exceed 72 hours from the time that the person was first detained pursuant to Section 5150. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays may be excluded from the period if the State Department of Health Care Services certifies for each facility that evaluation and treatment services cannot reasonably be made available on those days. The certification by the department is subject to renewal every two years. The department shall adopt regulations defining criteria for determining whether a facility can reasonably be expected to make evaluation and treatment services available on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. (b) Prior to admitting a person to the facility for treatment and evaluation pursuant to Section 5150, the professional person in charge of the facility or a designee shall assess the individual to determine the appropriateness of the involuntary detention. This assessment shall be made face-to-face either in person or by synchronous interaction through a mode of telehealth that utilizes both audio and visual components. (Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 960, Sec. 2. (AB 2275) Effective January 1, 2023.)

Key Takeaways

•If someone is taken to a special place for help because they might hurt themselves or others, they can be kept there for up to 72 hours (3 days) to check on them and give them help.
•Weekends and holidays might not count toward the 72 hours if the place can't provide help on those days. The state has to approve this every 2 years.
•Before keeping someone, a doctor or nurse must talk to them face-to-face (in person or by video call) to decide if they really need to stay.

Example

If the police take someone to a hospital because they are acting dangerously, the hospital can keep them for up to 3 days to help them.

The hospital checks if the person needs help and keeps them for no more than 72 hours. If the hospital is closed on weekends, those days might not count toward the 72 hours.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

§ 5151 72-Hour Psychiatric Hold

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References