Arkansas Code of 1987 (2023) › Title 20 - PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE (§§ 20-2-101 — 20-86-113) › Subtitle 3 - MENTAL HEALTH (§§ 20-45-101 — 20-50-106) › Chapter 47 - TREATMENT OF THE MENTALLY ILL (§§ 20-47-101 — 20-47-1007) › Subchapter 2 - COMMITMENT AND TREATMENT (§§ 20-47-201 — 20-47-230) › Section 20-47-204 - Voluntary admissions

The following shall apply to voluntary admissions of persons with a mental illness, disease, or disorder:
(1)
(A)
Any person who believes himself or herself to have a mental illness, disease, or disorder may apply to the administrator or his or her designee of a hospital or to the administrator or his or her designee of a receiving facility or program to which admission is requested.
(B)
If the administrator or his or her designee of the hospital or the administrator or his or her designee of a receiving facility or program shall be satisfied after examination of the applicant that he or she is in need of mental health treatment and will be benefitted thereby, he or she may receive and care for the applicant in the hospital or receiving facility or program for such a period of time as he or she shall deem necessary for the recovery and improvement of the person, provided that the person agrees at all times to remain in the hospital or receiving facility or program;
(2)
If at any time the person who has voluntarily admitted himself or herself to the hospital or receiving facility or program makes a request to leave, and the administrator or his or her designee determines that the person meets the criteria for involuntary admission as defined in §
20-47-207
, then the person shall be considered to be held by detention and the involuntary admission procedures set forth herein shall apply;
(3)
(A)
Any person requesting to leave under subdivision (2) of this section, within one (1) hour of his or her request to any hospital or receiving facility or program employee, in an administrative or treatment capacity, shall be provided with a written statement advising him or her of all rights delineated in §§
20-47-211
and
20-47-212
. The person shall further be provided with an acknowledgment confirming that he or she has been advised of the aforesaid rights.
(B)
(i)
If the person refused to sign the acknowledgment, this refusal shall be noted in the person's chart and shall be attested to by two (2) eyewitnesses on a separate document.
(ii)
An original of said attestation shall be furnished to the court.
(C)
For the purposes of computing the initial period of evaluation and treatment referred to in §
20-47-213
, detention begins upon the signing of the acknowledgment by the person or, in the event that the person refuses to sign the acknowledgment, upon the attestation of the refusal by two (2) eyewitnesses; and
(4)
(A)
A person voluntarily admitted who absents himself or herself from a hospital or receiving facility or program, as defined in this subchapter, may be placed on elopement status and a pick-up order issued if, in the opinion of the treatment staff, the person meets the criteria for involuntary admission as defined in §
20-47-207
.
(B)
It shall be the responsibility of the sheriff of the county or a law enforcement officer of the city of the first class in which the individual is physically present to transport the individual.
(C)
Upon return to the hospital or receiving facility or program, the individual shall be held under detention as defined in §
20-47-202(6)
.
Acts 1989, No. 861, § 3.