reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VII - Bill of Rights of Minors Who Receive Mental Health Services (§§ 6158 — 6158e) › § 6158b - Presumption of rehabilitative potential; obligation to provide mental healthcare services to minors who so require

It is presumed that all minors are mentally competent, except when otherwise found by the court. The judicial finding of disability under § 2342 of Title 31, shall be distinct and separate from the judicial proceeding to determine whether a minor should be subject to involuntary placement. It shall be presumed that all minors with mental disorders have the potential to recover and be rehabilitated by receiving mental healthcare services befitting their diagnosis and severity of their symptoms and signs. In order to accomplish the foregoing, all direct or indirect mental healthcare service providers are hereby placed under the obligation to promptly address any claim for services regarding this population.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 7.03; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 36.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VII - Bill of Rights of Minors Who Receive Mental Health Services (§§ 6158 — 6158e) › § 6158c - Limitation of rights

The rights established by this chapter for minors who receive mental health services may apply to minors liable for offenses or held in juvenile institutions, and to minor offenders in detention, provided they are not in conflict with the security measures imposed by the court.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 7.04, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VII - Bill of Rights of Minors Who Receive Mental Health Services (§§ 6158 — 6158e) › § 6158d - General rights

Any minor who receives mental health services shall have the right to:
(a) Receive medical, psychiatric and psychological attention in its preventive, clinical, recovery and rehabilitation phases for the protection of his/her health and general well being.
(b) Receive education and training, when his/her condition permits, that fosters full development of his/her personality and that his/her human rights be acknowledged and respected. This shall be done in connection with government agencies having these responsibilities.
(c) Obtain preparation (pre-vocational readiness) or training to receive vocational, occupational or job education according to his/her general functional capacity in order to develop his/her potential, as may apply, without being discriminated against for reason of mental disorder.
(d) Act individually or collectively while searching for solutions to his/her problems and grievances.
(e) Respect his/her autonomy in everything related to matters affecting his/her life, progress, treatment, recovery and rehabilitation, according to his/her general degree of functionality.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 7.05, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159a - Minors who require mental healthcare hospital services

Any minor with a mental disorder with a severity of symptoms and signs at the time of the evaluation indicating that he/she might inflict physical harm upon him/herself or others or damage property, or when he/she has issued significant threats that might yield the same outcome, or when the condition of the minor for whom the services are requested by the parent with legal or physical custody, or the legal guardian, could substantially deteriorate if not provided with adequate treatment on time, shall require mental healthcare hospital services pursuant to the proceedings established in this chapter.
Controlled substance and/or alcohol abuse or dependency, due to being considered a mental disorder, shall be subject to the application of all the conditions set forth in this section.
A minor may be institutionalized to an institutional provider of mental healthcare hospital services for evaluation, treatment, recovery and rehabilitation from a mental disorder, as provided in this chapter, and shall receive specialized services in a specialized ward for children and adolescents, to be segregated by age, stage of life, and gender. This segregation answers to purposes of the specialized services provided to children and adolescents, and are not to be construed at any time that separate physical facilities must exist.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.02; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 39.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159b - Purposes of the petition for mental health services for minors

Mental health services for minors shall be requested with one (1) or more of the following purposes:
(a) Carry out a process of screening, comprehensive evaluation and disposition.
(b) Receive treatment, recovery and rehabilitation modalities.
(c) Obtain orientation, education and to be placed in support or transitional services.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.03, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159c - Mental healthcare services requested for minors

A request for services for a minor may be lodged with an institutional provider or with a direct or an indirect mental healthcare service provider by:
(a) The minor him/herself, if fourteen (14) years of age or older, if he/she requests outpatient services as provided for in § 6161 of this title, and if, in the judgment of the mental healthcare professional, he/she is capable of understanding the effect of his/her request.
(b) The parent with patria potestas, the legal guardian, or the surrogate parent.
(c) Persons who have been professionally related to the minor and who, as a result of this relationship, have reasonable grounds to believe that the minor needs to receive mental healthcare services.
(d) Public or private agencies with custody over the minor, or the court.
The request shall be made in writing and obtain a clear and simple statement, with no technical terms, of the grounds for requesting such services.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.04; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 40.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159f - Certification of acceptance of custody

When a minor is admitted or hospitalized in a providing institution, its director or its representative shall sign a certification accepting custody of the minor and guaranteeing that the minor shall be subject to humanitarian, responsible and adequate treatment, in accordance with his/her needs. Said certification shall be given to the parent with patria potestas or custody, legal guardian or person with provisional custody. A copy of the same shall be included in the clinical record.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.07, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159i - Electroconvulsive therapy

No minor shall receive electroconvulsive therapy treatment without the previous informed consent and express authorization from one of the following:
(a) The minor’s parent with patria potestas or custody, or legal guardian, upon the opinion of one (1) child and adolescent psychiatrist, in consensus with the inter- or multidisciplinary team, who evaluates and recommends the use of this treatment and so entered in the minor’s clinical record.
(b) In the case this treatment is favorable to the minor, and after making reasonable efforts, if the persons authorized to consent could not be located or denied their consent, a petition shall be filed with the court. In this case, evidence shall be presented of the need for treatment, as well as the unsuccessful attempts to locate the persons authorized by law to give consent, so that the court may be convinced and order the use of this treatment.
The medical director and the inter- or multidisciplinary team shall review all orders for electroconvulsive therapy under the established criteria and the grounds for the use of this measure in order to establish the professional accountability of team members, and render a yearly report to the Administration.
The parent with legal or physical custody of the minor for whom electroconvulsive therapy treatment is considered, and the legal guardian, if any, shall be notified within a period not greater than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the treatment. The parent with legal or physical custody, or the legal guardian, shall have the right to refuse this treatment at any time after having accepted the same. However, if there should be any discrepancy as to having accepted or refused the treatment, a hearing must be held for the court to determine whether or not the treatment shall be in order and to issue an order to that effect.
All institutional providers of mental healthcare services that offer the electroconvulsive therapy modality shall institute a protocol that includes the accepted standards of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the entities that regulate the application of said therapy, in addition to the regulations that the Administration shall promulgate for these purposes. Said protocol shall be revised annually. It shall be the responsibility of the institutional provider of mental healthcare services to keep abreast of scientific advancements that may alter the procedure or administration of this modality of treatment.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.10; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 44.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159k - Review of the clinical status

Within seventy-two (72) hours of [the] minor’s admission, the child and adolescent psychiatrist, jointly with the inter- or multidisciplinary team, shall review the minor’s clinical status and clinical record in order to determine the need to continue the treatment at the current level. If [an] extension is necessary, the person or entity that gave consent for admission shall be notified to obtain their consent to said extension. Authorization for extension of admission shall be included in [the] minor’s clinical record.
Whenever there is a substantial change and, as a maximum, every ten (10) days, the child and adolescent psychiatrist, along with the inter- or multidisciplinary team, shall conduct an evaluation of minor’s clinical status, and authorization for the extension of the hospitalization shall be renewed, while it lasts. If extension for treatment, recovery and rehabilitation is not authorized, it shall be understood as a petition for the minor to be released.
In the case that it has been impossible to stabilize the severity of the symptoms and signs, and the minor could still be in danger of harming the self or others, or damaging property, a petition shall be requested to the court to obtain an order for extension of the admission into the hospital institution, or the level of care recommended by the child and adolescent psychiatrist with the inter- or multidisciplinary team, when there is no authorization from the father, mother with patria potestas or custody, or the legal guardian or entity that approved the minor’s admission, changing the status from an involuntary to voluntary.
No minor shall be admitted to hospital services, unless he/she meets the clinical criteria for hospitalization and there exists clear and convincing evidence, to the satisfaction of the person authorized to give consent that shows the need for said admission.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.12, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159m - Request for admission by public or private agencies

The authorized representative of a government or private agency may process a request for an evaluation for admission to a mental health hospital institution in behalf of a minor who is in its custody, provided the minor meets the criteria of admission to the institution and complies with the requisites established in this chapter.
The child and adolescent psychiatrist, or a member of the inter- or multidisciplinary team of the providing institution shall notify in writing to the entity that referred the minor, the results of the evaluation performed and the therapeutically indicated level of care with greater autonomy that, [in] their best professional judgment, shall satisfy the minor’s needs.
The report shall contain specific recommendations on how to handle the mental health disorder, within the institutional scenario that holds custody of the minor.
Once the minor has been clinically stabilized and released, the agency that requested the admission shall be responsible for receiving the minor immediately.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.14, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159o - Involuntary admission

Any minor who meets the necessary clinical criteria to receive mental health services, but his/her parent with patria potestas or custody, or legal guardian does not consent to it or is not capable of consenting to it, shall be evaluated to determine if he/she qualifies for involuntary admission or compulsory treatment in a providing institution. Said evaluation shall require the court’s intervention. The court shall order an evaluation by the inter- or multidisciplinary team, in order to determine if the minor should receive hospital treatment and rehabilitation for his/her mental disorder.
No minor shall be admitted involuntarily, unless there exists clear and convincing evidence to the court’s satisfaction that shows the need for said admission.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.16, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159r - Petition for release by parent with patria potestas or legal guardian

When the parent with patria potestas or custody, legal guardian or person with provisional custody requests that the minor involuntarily admitted be released, he/she shall be released within twenty-four (24) hours after the petition.
If the director of the institution has well-founded motives to object to the petition for release of the minor, he/she shall file a petition with the court stating the need for said services.
Lack of interest or inability of the parent with patria potestas or custody, the legal guardian or the person with provisional custody to provide care and shelter shall not be a reason for the court to deny issuing an order for the release of the minor. If this is the case, the court may order the intervention of the Department of the Family in order to assure that the necessary shelter and care shall be provided to the minor, in which case the Department of the Family shall assume custody of the minor.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.19, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159s - Request for discharge; change in status; hearing

Within twenty-four (24) hours after the request for discharge, the minor shall be evaluated by a child and adolescent psychiatrist together with the inter- or multidisciplinary team, in order to find whether the minor poses immediate danger to him/herself, to others, or to any property as shown by violent or consistent acts that denote the presence of a mental disorder. If no such finding is made, the minor shall be discharged immediately. If as a result of the request for discharge, and after the evaluation set forth in this section, it is found that the minor poses immediate danger, an order for placement shall be petitioned from the court, which shall not exceed fifteen (15) days and the change of status from voluntary to involuntary placement. The court shall schedule a hearing within the following twenty-four (24) hours. During the course of this process, the minor shall remain hospitalized. The proceedings for voluntary-to-involuntary placement shall be continued, whereby the court shall schedule a hearing pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.20; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 48.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159t - Hearings

(a) Hearings shall be held before a court with jurisdiction, pursuant to the provisions of the Rules of Civil Procedure in effect.
(b) The minor shall be present at the hearing together with his/her parent with legal custody or his/her legal guardian, and represented by his/her attorney.
(c) If the court, motu proprio or by request of one of the parties, when justified by force majeure, defers the case’s hearing, the minor shall remain hospitalized pending a subsequent order from the court. The deferral of such hearing shall not be extended for more than five (5) workdays.
(d) The minor, the parent with legal custody or the legal guardian shall have the right to present all the evidence he/she deems convenient to rebut the continuation of the minor’s involuntary placement. Such evidence may consist of testimonies or documents. To that effect, the minor shall have the right to be examined by an independent mental healthcare professional of his/her choice or appointed by the court, who shall conduct an evaluation and issue his/her recommendations to the court. The services of said professional shall be paid by the parent with legal custody or the legal guardian of the minor for whom a request for involuntary placement or a change of status is sought, or by a close relative, if any, or by the Commonwealth, in the event that the minor is indigent.
When deemed necessary, the court may request the intervention of the Department of the Family in order to protect the minor’s interests.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.21; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 49.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159u - Right to legal representation

Every minor object of a petition to order involuntary admission shall have the right to be represented by an attorney or family advocate, according to availability. If the minor is indigent and has not been able to hire an attorney, the court shall appoint an attorney. The attorney appointed by the court and his/her client shall have reasonable time to prepare for the hearing.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.22, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159v - Transfer of minor

Any minor who receives mental health services and is in a providing institution, may request to be transferred if said transfer is necessary and without detriment to the minor, provided he/she and the receiving institution accept the transfer. The minor, closest family member or legal guardian shall be notified of the transfer at least three (3) days in advance. If the minor’s life is in imminent danger, the transfer shall take place and his/her father, mother with patria potestas or legal guardian shall be notified within twenty-four (24) hours of said transfer.
If the minor, his/her father, mother with patria potestas or legal guardian has any objection to it, the institution shall give him/her the opportunity to reconsider said transfer, pursuant to § 6153v of this title. During the process of reconsidering the transfer, the minor shall remain in the original institution that provides mental health services.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.23, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159w - Passes

In those cases in which is it clinically necessary or beneficial, the child and adolescent psychiatrist, jointly with the inter- or multidisciplinary team, may grant [a] pass to the minor admitted voluntarily or involuntarily, even when he/she is not fit to be released. In these cases, the court shall not need to be notified, but his/her parent with patria potestas or custody or legal guardian shall be notified.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.24, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159x - Releases

The child and adolescent psychiatrist in charge of the treatment, recovery and rehabilitation may release any minor admitted voluntarily or involuntarily, at any time after having consulted with the inter- or multidisciplinary team. The psychiatrist shall notify the parent with patria potestas or custody, or the legal guardian of the minor to be released, but his/her parent with patria potestas or custody or the legal guardian shall be notified [sic].
The child and adolescent psychiatrist, and the inter- or multidisciplinary team of the minor to be released, shall explain to him/her, his/her family or legal guardian, of his/her release plan and the options for recovery, notifying the court of the findings made in those cases where the court ordered an involuntary admission.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.25, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter VIII - Mental Health Care System for Minors (§§ 6159 — 6159y) › § 6159y - Leaving of the institution without being released; notices

When the minor subject to involuntary admission leaves the institution without having been released, the director shall immediately notify a police officer so that he/she may be apprehended and returned to the institution. In addition, he/she shall notify the parent with patria potestas, or the legal guardian and the person who requested his/her admission.
When a minor subject to voluntary admission leaves the institution without having been released, the director shall immediately notify the minor’s parent with patria potestas or the legal guardian.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 8.26, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter IX - Transitional Services for Minors (§§ 6159z — 6160d) › § 6160 - Purposes of transitional services for minors

Transitional services for minors shall be designed to provide experiences that are structured, consistent and specialized at different levels of supervision, befitting the severity of symptoms and signs of the disorder in question by age and gender, while successfully enabling the minor to adapt to his/her environment and to become able to participate at another level of care which accords him/her greater autonomy, until he/she can reach his/her eventual independence within the community. Their main function shall be to render treatment, recovery and rehabilitation services focusing on the adequate development of the minor’s management of everyday life, in addition to providing care and custody in a safe and humane manner. An example of these services for the child and adolescent age bracket may [be] therapeutic homes or therapeutic communities provided by for-profit or nonprofit community-based organizations, among others.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 9.01, renumbered as § 9.01(B) on Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 51.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter IX - Transitional Services for Minors (§§ 6159z — 6160d) › § 6160a - Obligations of transitional service institutions

Institutional providers of live-in treatment for minors shall provide, at the very least, the following:
(a) The individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation, emphasizing the skills that are necessary for everyday life given his/her clinical condition, the severity of the symptoms and signs, his/her stage of life, and his/her potential for recovery and rehabilitation to achieve greater autonomy in his/her environment;
(b) Adequate coordination with government and private agencies to achieve comprehensive services for the minor and his/her family, in order to reach a greater self-sufficiency;
(c) The promotion as well as orientation of family participation in the minor’s individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan;
(d) A balanced diet, according to the special needs of the minors participating in the program, and
Vis-à-vis the restrictive nature of this treatment modality, such treatment modality shall not be employed as a first-instance therapeutic intervention on minors who have not received previous mental healthcare treatment or when such treatment has not been administered correctly by the minors’ parents or legal guardians, unless a psychiatric evaluation conducted by a child and adolescent psychiatrist shows and such psychiatrist believes and recommends that the best treatment alternative for such minors is this service, and such minors meet the criteria for being placed in such treatment.
The objectives of transitional treatment for minors are:
(1) To strengthen the family’s functionality so as to improve effective communication skills and interaction styles between and among its members.
(2) To develop adaptive and functionality skills of youths in their way of relating to their family, their community, and the various social institutions.
(3) To foster the development of vocational or occupational skills in order for youths to function to the best of their ability within their environment.
(4) To foster the development of skills to manage and curb mental and emotional condition-related symptoms.
(5) To foster the development of adaptive behavior skills, as well as problem management and solving skills.
(6) To foster the development of social skill management so as to allow their reintegration into society.
(7) To coordinate services with other community agencies which suit the needs of youths and their families.
(8) To develop training and workshops that focus on the prevention, management, and treatment of mental disorders in youths.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 9.02; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 52.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter IX - Transitional Services for Minors (§§ 6159z — 6160d) › § 6160b - Service manuals

Institutional providers of transitional services shall provide, at the very least, the following:
(a) Safe and humane care and custody, within the setting that accords the greatest autonomy possible, befitting the treatment, recovery and rehabilitation needs of the minor.
(b) Individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation, focusing on the objectives set forth in § 6160a of this title.
(c) An adequate coordination with government and private agencies in order to successfully implement comprehensive services for minors and their families, conducive to the return of such minors to their homes and their communities.
(d) Proper care of the physical and mental health conditions of the minors placed therein.
(e) Integration of families into the minors’ individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan and guidance on the matter.
(f) A balanced diet that suits the physiological needs of minors.
(g) A recreational, educational or vocational rehabilitation plan, whichever modality applies, to be instituted within the program by the interdisciplinary team.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 9.03; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 53.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter IX - Transitional Services for Minors (§§ 6159z — 6160d) › § 6160c - Levels, stages, or services

Transitional services for minors shall be developed by levels, progress stages, or services, in order to enable the minor’s evaluation and classification as his/her needs dictate and the placement of such minor in the therapeutically indicated setting that accords the greatest autonomy possible.
The levels, stages, or services adopted by the institutional provider of transitional services shall be designed to conform to the severity of symptoms and signs, the diagnosis, and the degree of supervision required by the minor, to wit, the greatest supervision service, the moderate supervision service, the minimal supervision service, and independent or in-home service.
The system shall allow for minors to be directly referred to the level most suitable for their condition, without having to course through all the levels or stages.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 9.04; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 54.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter IX - Transitional Services for Minors (§§ 6159z — 6160d) › § 6160d - Involuntary placement; mandatory treatment

All minors who meet the necessary criteria to receive transitional services for minors as per the evaluations and the recommendations by the child and adolescent psychiatrist and the inter- or multidisciplinary team, but whose parents with legal or physical custody, legal guardian, or surrogate parent does not give consent for such services, shall be subject to a petition for mandatory treatment or involuntary placement before the court, pursuant to the proceedings provided for in this chapter to that effect.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 9.05; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 55.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter X - Mental Health Services with Greater Autonomy for Minors (§§ 6161 — 6161c) › § 6161a - Greater-autonomy services for minors

Any minor who begins to receive direct outpatient services in mental healthcare at the various levels of care and treatment, rehabilitation and recovery modalities, or any such minor for whom such services are requested, shall receive, among others, the following services within the first seventy-two (72) hours:
(a) A physical examination, when clinically necessary to rule out physiological or organic conditions or as part of the clinical outpatient follow-up.
(b) Laboratory tests, when clinically necessary to rule out physiological or organic conditions or as part of the clinical outpatient follow-up.
(c) A psychiatric evaluation conducted by a psychiatrist, when a child and adolescent psychiatrist is not available due to fully justified reasons. If the evaluation is conducted by a general psychiatrist or a primary-care physician, consultation with a child and adolescent psychiatrist shall be made as soon as practicable.
(d) A psychological screening conducted by a psychologist, when clinically necessary.
(e) A psychological evaluation conducted by a psychologist, when clinically indicated.
(f) A social evaluation conducted by a social worker, when pertinent due to the existence of social situations or circumstances which might affect the ongoing nature of the person’s mental healthcare services.
(g) A psychiatric evaluation conducted by a psychiatrist; in the event that the institution does not have a psychiatrist, this evaluation may be conducted by a properly licensed physician.
(h) A substance screening conducted by a professional counselor knowledgeable in addiction issues, when clinically indicated to rule out or assess substance abuse and/or dependency.
The results of the tests, analyses and evaluations shall form part of the minor’s clinical record, and shall be used to establish the individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan at the corresponding level of care which accords the greatest autonomy. This plan shall be devised by an inter- or a multidisciplinary team not later than fifteen (15) days following commencement of treatment and such plan shall be reviewed every thirty (30) days to conform to the standards for each level of care or when a substantial change occurs. The procedures shall be included in the regulations to be promulgated for these purposes.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to mental healthcare professionals with private offices. In this case, such professionals shall make sure to comply with the standards applicable to their respective professions, based on the clinical protocols and the treatment guidelines recommended by the Administration.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 10.02; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 57.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter X - Mental Health Services with Greater Autonomy for Minors (§§ 6161 — 6161c) › § 6161b - Initial evaluation; treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan at another greater autonomy level

Any minor who has been hospitalized or who received services at a level of care, when by recommendations of the child and adolescent psychiatrist and the inter- or multidisciplinary team of the service making the referral, it is found that such minor needs treatment at another level of care which accords greater or lesser autonomy, the review of the discharge plan of such minor or of the recommendations ensuing from their evaluation shall be in order and the same shall be instituted within twenty-four (24) hours following placement, insofar as he/she is clinically qualified for such level of care.
The evaluation, the recommendations, or the discharge plan shall form part of the minor’s clinical record at the applicable level of care. Such results shall be used to establish the individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan, which shall be reviewed in light of the diagnosis and the severity of symptoms and signs for each level or modality of care pursuant to the best practices of mental healthcare professionals and the treatment protocols and guidelines recommended by the Administration. This plan shall be devised by an inter- or a multidisciplinary team not later than fifteen (15) days following placement in the new level of care and reviewed every ninety (90) days pursuant to the standards for each level of care or when a substantial change occurs. Once patients have achieved the objectives of their individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan, they shall continue to the next level of care that accords them greater autonomy, as their condition allows.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 10.03; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 58.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter X - Mental Health Services with Greater Autonomy for Minors (§§ 6161 — 6161c) › § 6161c - Services manuals

Every institution that provides services with greater autonomy shall have a services manual, which shall contain, as a minimum, the following:
(a) The admission criteria to be met by minors who request the services.
(b) The age, sex, disorder, diagnosis and level of functionality.
(c) An individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan prepared by an inter- or multidisciplinary team.
(d) The staffing pattern that the institution shall have, as well as the qualifications thereof.
(e) The program’s philosophy and a description of the institution’s environment.
(f) The corresponding therapeutic modality or activity program.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to private offices of mental health professionals. However, said professionals shall advise the minor, his/her father, mother with patria potestas or custody, legal guardian or person with provisional custody on the treatment options for his/her condition, the ones they recommend and which ones they can provide according to his/her symptoms and signs, and to the diagnostic impression at the time of the initial evaluation.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 10.04, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter XI - Evaluation of Minors under the Court’s Jurisdiction in Institutions that Provide Mental Health Services to Minors (§§ 6162 — 6162e) › § 6162 - Order to evaluate minors under court jurisdiction

The court shall order, motu proprio or by petition of party, that those minors who have been accused of offenses or who have been found liable for offenses be evaluated at institutional providers of mental healthcare services for minors, insofar as the presence of [a mental] disorder needs to be confirmed or ruled out.
The child and adolescent psychiatrist, together with the inter- or multidisciplinary team of the institutional provider of services for minors, shall give the court written notice of the results of said evaluation. These results shall include the specific recommendations for managing the minor and guidance to the family, as well as placement in the corresponding level of care.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 11.01; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 59.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter XI - Evaluation of Minors under the Court’s Jurisdiction in Institutions that Provide Mental Health Services to Minors (§§ 6162 — 6162e) › § 6162a - Placement in institution for children and adolescents

If after the evaluation, it should be found that the minor under court jurisdiction suffers from a mental disorder, the court shall order that an inter- or multidisciplinary individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan be prepared and implemented, which shall include all specialized services needed. Each and every service program shall be provided at special institutions for minors which are age- and gender-appropriate and which suit their clinical needs.
The minor shall meet the placement criteria of such institution. Upon placement, he/she shall be evaluated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and the court shall be informed every three (3) months or before, if so required by the court or if a significant change has occurred in the minor’s condition, in order to assess the progress of his/her treatment, recovery and rehabilitation and to issue the corresponding recommendations. A copy of the evaluation shall be remitted to the Court of First Instance, Minors’ Affairs Part, to the Minors’ Advocate, and to the parties, as indicated by the court.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 11.02; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 60.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter XI - Evaluation of Minors under the Court’s Jurisdiction in Institutions that Provide Mental Health Services to Minors (§§ 6162 — 6162e) › § 6162b - Request to place minors with mental disorders found prosecutable and chargeable

If as a result of the court-ordered evaluation, the child and adolescent psychiatrist, in consultation with the inter- or multidisciplinary team, finds that the minor is chargeable or prosecutable and that he/she has a mental disorder, the court, upon finding the minor liable for an offense and ordering his/her placement, shall order that the minor be transferred to a ward at the Administration of Juvenile Institutions specialized in the treatment, care, and custody of this population. While the minor is in the custody of the Administration of Juvenile Institutions, it shall be responsible for having the minor receive the treatment, recovery and rehabilitation mental healthcare services he/she requires. Chargeable or prosecutable minors, as provided for in this section, may not be placed in institutions that do not meet the required criteria to provide specialized care to this population.
In the event that the court grants probation benefits, the court shall maintain jurisdiction over the minor and demand as a condition, among others, that the minor receive mental healthcare services.
The director of the specialized ward shall notify the court as soon as the minor is discharged from the ward, and send a copy of such notice, together with the discharge plan, to the Administration of Juvenile Institutions. After such discharge, the court shall order as it sees fit and send a copy of the order to that effect to the Administration of Juvenile Institutions.
Once the court finds that discharge is in order, the minor shall be immediately discharged.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 11.03; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 61.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter XI - Evaluation of Minors under the Court’s Jurisdiction in Institutions that Provide Mental Health Services to Minors (§§ 6162 — 6162e) › § 6162c - Minor acquitted from offense; order to refer to mental healthcare service

When the court has acquitted a minor from the commission of an offense, but the evaluation shows that he/she has a mental disorder, the minor shall be referred to the mental healthcare service recommended in said evaluation. The court shall issue a fifteen (15) -day involuntary placement order. If the fifteen (15)-day term should be found not to be sufficient, the proceedings established in this chapter shall be in order.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 11.04; Aug. 6, 2008, No. 183, § 62.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter XI - Evaluation of Minors under the Court’s Jurisdiction in Institutions that Provide Mental Health Services to Minors (§§ 6162 — 6162e) › § 6162d - Report prior to any disposition on the case

Before the court makes a final decision on the case, the inter- or multidisciplinary team responsible for minor’s treatment, recovery and rehabilitation shall prepare a report including the level of care, bearing in mind that it is therapeutically indicated and with greater autonomy, including the interagency coordination, a social evaluation, a preliminary treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan, and any other information that the court may deem convenient before the disposition of the case. The inter- or multidisciplinary individualized treatment, recovery and rehabilitation plan, shall be developed in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. If [the] minor is admitted, the court shall consider the report to determine the disposition of the case.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 11.05, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VIII - Mental Health (§§ 4001-6151 — 6184) › Chapter 201A - Mental Health Code of 2000 (§§ 6152 — 6166g) › Subchapter XI - Evaluation of Minors under the Court’s Jurisdiction in Institutions that Provide Mental Health Services to Minors (§§ 6162 — 6162e) › § 6162e - Final orders, copy to the minor; review

Every court order shall be in writing, duly sealed and signed, and shall be accompanied by a clear and precise determination made by the court with respect to the minor’s situation.
Copy of the order shall be given to the parent with patria potestas, or legal guardian, or the person with provisional custody of the minor who receives mental health services, or his/her attorney, and to the director of the mental health institution or the director of the level of care service where the minor was admitted. The court shall notify any of the aforementioned of their right to request reconsideration and in case of being indigent, of their right to receive a free transcript of the legal file and to be assisted by an attorney. If the parent with patria potestas, or the legal guardian wishes [an appeal] and does have the economic means to do so, the court shall appoint an attorney.
History —Oct. 2, 2000, No. 408, § 11.06, eff. 90 days after Oct. 2, 2000.