Sec 36-543. Release from treatment of a patient with a grave disability or a persistent or acute disability; annual review; court order for continued treatment; rules

A. A patient who is found to have a grave disability or a persistent or acute disability and ordered to undergo treatment may be released from inpatient treatment when, in the opinion of the medical director of the mental health treatment agency, the level of care offered by the agency is no longer required. The patient may agree to continue treatment voluntarily. If the patient is to be released, the medical director shall arrange for an appropriate alternative placement.

B. If a patient who is to be released from inpatient treatment is under guardianship, the medical director of the mental health treatment agency shall notify the guardian and any relevant regional behavioral health authority ten days before the intended release date that the ward no longer requires the level of care offered by the agency. The guardian and, if relevant, the regional behavioral health authority shall arrange alternative placement with the advice and recommendations of the medical director of the mental health treatment agency.

C. The medical director of the mental health treatment agency is not civilly liable for any acts committed by the released patient if the medical director has in good faith complied with the requirements of this article.

D. Within ninety days before the expiration of a court order for treatment, the medical director of the mental health treatment agency shall conduct an annual review of a patient who has been found to have a grave disability or a persistent or acute disability and is undergoing court-ordered treatment to determine whether the continuation of court-ordered treatment is appropriate and to assess the needs of the patient for guardianship or conservatorship, or both. The annual review shall consist of the mental health treatment and clinical records contained in the patient's treatment file. The mental health treatment agency shall keep a record of the annual review. If the medical director believes that a continuation of court-ordered treatment is appropriate, the medical director of the mental health treatment agency shall appoint one or more psychiatrists to carry out a psychiatric examination of the patient. In any proceeding conducted pursuant to this section, a patient has the right to have an analysis of the patient's mental condition by an independent evaluation pursuant to section 36-538.

E. Each examiner participating in the psychiatric examination of the patient shall submit a report to the medical director of the mental health treatment agency that includes the following:

1. The examiner's opinions as to whether the patient continues to have a grave disability or a persistent or acute disability as the result of a mental disorder and be in need of continued court-ordered treatment. In evaluating the patient's need for continued court-ordered treatment, the examiner must consider, along with all other evidence, the patient's history before and during the current period of court-ordered treatment, the patient's compliance with recommended treatment and any other evidence relevant to the patient's ability and willingness to follow recommended treatment with or without a court order.

2. A statement as to whether suitable alternatives to court-ordered treatment are available.

3. A statement as to whether voluntary treatment would be appropriate.

4. A review of the patient's status as to guardianship or conservatorship, or both, the adequacy of existing protections of the patient and the continued need for guardianship or conservatorship, or both. If the examiner concludes that the patient's needs in these areas are not being adequately met, the examiner's report shall recommend that the court order an investigation into the patient's needs.

5. If the patient has an existing guardian who does not have the mental health powers authorized pursuant to section 14-5312.01, a recommendation as to whether the additional mental health powers authorized by section 14-5312.01 should be imposed on the existing guardian and whether the patient's needs can be adequately addressed by a guardian with mental health powers without the need for a court order for treatment or whether the court order for treatment should continue regardless of the additional mental health powers imposed on the guardian.

6. The results of any physical examination conducted during the period of court-ordered treatment if relevant to the psychiatric condition of the patient.

F. After conducting the annual review as prescribed in this section, if the medical director believes that continued court-ordered treatment is necessary or appropriate, not later than thirty days before the expiration of the court order for treatment, the medical director shall file with the court an application for continued court-ordered treatment alleging the basis for the application and shall file simultaneously with the application any psychiatric examination conducted as part of the annual review. If the patient is under guardianship, the medical director shall mail a copy of the application to the patient's guardian.

G. If an application for continued court-ordered treatment is filed, all of the following apply:

1. If the patient does not have an attorney, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent the patient.

2. Within ten days after appointment, an attorney appointed pursuant to this subsection, to the extent possible, shall fulfill the duties imposed pursuant to section 36-537, review the medical director's report and the patient's medical records, interview any physician who prepared a report on the annual review and file a response requesting a hearing or submitting the matter to the court for a ruling based on the record without a hearing.

3. If a hearing is not requested, the court shall rule on the application or set the matter for hearing. If a hearing is requested, the hearing shall be held within three weeks after the request for hearing is filed. The hearing may be continued for good cause on motion of a party or on the court's own motion, and the expiration of the current court order for treatment may be extended until a ruling by the court on an application filed pursuant to this subsection.

4. The patient's attorney must be present at all hearings and may subpoena and cross-examine witnesses and present evidence. The patient has the right to attend all hearings, but may choose not to attend a hearing. The patient's attorney may waive the patient's presence after speaking with the patient and confirming that the patient understands the right to be present and does not desire to attend. If the patient is unable to be present at the hearing for medical or psychiatric reasons and the hearing cannot be conducted where the patient is being treated or confined, or the patient cannot appear by another reasonably feasible means, the court shall require clear and convincing evidence that the patient is unable to be present at the hearing and on such a finding may proceed with the hearing in the patient's absence.

5. The evidence presented by the applicant includes the testimony of one or more witnesses acquainted with the patient during the period of court-ordered treatment, which may be satisfied by a statement agreed on by the parties, and the testimony of any physician who performed an annual review of the patient, which may be satisfied by stipulating to the admission of the examining physicians' written report prepared pursuant subsection E of this section. The court may waive the need for the applicant to present the testimony of witnesses acquainted with the patient as required by this subsection, if it finds that the need for a continued court order for treatment has been established by clear and convincing evidence from the other testimony and evidence presented at the hearing.

6. At a hearing held pursuant to this subsection, the court, with notice, may impose on an existing guardian additional powers pursuant to section 14-5312.01. If the court finds that the patient's needs can be adequately met by an existing guardian with the additional powers pursuant to section 14-5312.01 and that a court order for treatment is not necessary to ensure compliance with necessary treatment, the court may terminate the court order for treatment or decline to issue an order continuing court-ordered treatment. The court may also order an investigation into the need for guardianship or conservatorship, or both, and may appoint a suitable person or agency to conduct the investigation. The appointee may include a court-appointed guardian ad litem, a court-appointed investigator pursuant to section 14-5308 or the public fiduciary if there is no person willing and qualified to act in that capacity. The court shall give notice of the appointment to the appointee within three days after the appointment. The appointee shall submit the report of the investigation to the court within twenty-one days. The report shall include recommendations as to who should be guardian or conservator, or both, and the findings and reasons for the recommendation. If the investigation and report so indicate, the court may authorize an appropriate person to file a petition for appointment of a guardian or conservator for the patient.

H. If a hearing is held pursuant to subsection G of this section, the party seeking the renewal of the court order must prove all of the following by clear and convincing evidence:

1. The patient continues to have a mental disorder and, as a result of that disorder, has either a persistent or acute disability or a grave disability.

2. The patient is in need of continued court-ordered treatment.

3. The patient is either unwilling or unable to accept treatment voluntarily.

I. After a hearing held pursuant to subsection G of this section, the court may order the patient to be released from court-ordered treatment or to undergo continued court-ordered treatment for a period not to exceed the time periods prescribed in section 36-540, subsection D.

J. The director shall create and operate a program to ensure that the examination and review of persons with grave disabilities or persistent or acute disabilities under court order are carried out in an effective and timely manner. The director shall adopt rules needed to operate this program.

(L15, Ch. 195, sec. 34. Eff. 7/1/16)