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HomeWelfare and Institutions CodeDiv. 5Pt. 1Ch. 2Art. 4.5§ 5261 Certification For Intensive Treatment

§ 5261 Certification For Intensive Treatment

Welfare and Institutions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 5261 Certification For Intensive Treatment

Key Takeaways

  • •To certify someone for treatment, two people must sign a notice: the person in charge of the treatment facility and a doctor or psychologist with special experience.
  • •The doctor or psychologist who signs must have helped check the person’s condition.
  • •If the person in charge is the doctor or psychologist who checked the person, the second signature can be from another doctor, psychologist, or someone like a social worker or nurse who also helped check the person.
  • •This rule is for people getting 14-day intensive treatment for mental or emotional problems.

Example

If someone is getting 14-day intensive treatment for mental health issues, the facility boss and a doctor must sign a paper to certify them.

The law says two people must agree and sign to certify someone for treatment. One is the boss of the treatment place, and the other is a doctor or psychologist who checked the person. If the boss is the doctor, someone else like a nurse can sign instead.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 5261 Certification For Intensive Treatment

(a) For a person to be certified under this article, a second notice of certification shall be signed by the professional person in charge of the facility providing the 14-day intensive treatment under Article 4 (commencing with Section 5250) to the person and by a physician, if possible a board-qualified psychiatrist, or a licensed psychologist who has a doctoral degree in psychology and at least five years of postgraduate experience in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders. The physician or psychologist who signs shall have participated in the evaluation and finding referred to in subdivision (a) of Section 5260. (b) If the professional person in charge is the physician who performed the medical evaluation and finding, or a psychologist, the second person to sign may be another physician or psychologist unless one is not available, in which case a social worker, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed professional clinical counselor, or registered nurse who participated in the evaluation and finding shall sign the notice of certification. (Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 184, Sec. 2. (AB 191) Effective January 1, 2018.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

treatmentevaluationmedicalmotionmarriagehealthdiagnosisphysician

Related Statutes

  • § 5270.20 Intensive Treatment Certification Requirements
  • § 5251 Mental Health Certification Requirements
  • § 369.5 Juvenile Court Psychotropic Medication
  • § 5328.04 Minor Health Care Disclosure
  • § 5585.52 Minor Detention Clinical Evaluation

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Welfare and Institutions Code. Section 5261.
View Official Source