Relating to the voluntary or involuntary commitment or hospitalization of a person with a serious mental impairment or a substance-related disorder

PREAPPLICATION SCREENING ASSESSMENT.75, the clerk of the district court or the clerk’s designee shall inform the person filing the application about the option of requesting a preapplication screening assessment through a preapplication screening assessment program. The bill expands current law to provide a preapplication screening assessment program may include a preapplication screening assessment delivered through telehealth, if available. EMERGENCY DETENTION AND HOSPITALIZATION —— LAW ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION AND DETENTION PERIODS.22 (emergency hospitalization —— serious mental impairment), when it appears that a person should be immediately detained due to a substance-related disorder or a serious mental impairment but an involuntary application for hospitalization has not been filed naming the person as the respondent and the person cannot be ordered into immediate custody and detained, the person may be immediately detained by a peace officer who has reasonable grounds for the detention, and the peace officer, without a warrant, may take or cause that person to be taken to the nearest available facility or hospital. A person who is not a peace officer may also bring a person under similar circumstances to a facility or hospital. If the appropriate examining health care practitioner finds that there is reason to believe that the person suffers from a substance-related disorder or is seriously mentally impaired and is likely to physically injure the person’s self or others if not immediately detained, the health care practitioner is required to immediately communicate with the nearest available magistrate.91, to be detained in an appropriate facility, a peace officer from the law enforcement agency that took the person into custody may inform the magistrate that an arrest warrant has been issued for or charges are pending against the person and request that any oral or written order issued require the facility or hospital to notify the law enforcement agency about the discharge or transfer of the person prior to the person’s discharge or transfer.22 to allow such law enforcement notification when a person with a serious mental impairment is transferred from a facility or hospital.22, under a magistrate’s order for a period not to exceed hours from the time such an order is dated, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, unless the order is dismissed earlier by a magistrate. The bill extends the period a hospital or facility may detain such persons to hours from the time such an order is dated, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, unless the order is dismissed earlier by a magistrate. DEPARTMENTS OF HUMAN SERVICES AND PUBLIC HEALTH —— COMMITMENT PROCESS REVIEW. The bill directs the department of human services and the department of public health to review the commitment processes under Code chapters 125 and 229 and make recommendations and propose legislation for combining the Code chapters to the governor and the general assembly by November 15, 2019. SUPREME COURT —— EDUCATIONAL TRAINING. The bill directs the supreme court to develop and provide educational training relating to involuntary commitments and hospitalizations of persons with serious mental impairments and substance-related disorders for judges, clerks of court, and attorneys. The bill provides that the supreme court shall develop the training based upon recommendations from the December 30, 2018, report submitted by the commitment process review work group.