Opinion ID: 198189
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Adult child; or

Text: 74 E. One of next of kin or a friend, if none of the other persons exist. 75 If the chief administrative officer has reason to believe that notice to any individual in paragraphs A to E would pose risk of harm to the person admitted, then notice may not be given to that individual. 76 7. Post-admission examination. Every patient admitted to a hospital shall be examined as soon as practicable after his admission. 77 A. The chief administrative officer of the hospital shall arrange for examination by a staff physician or licensed clinical psychologist of every patient hospitalized under this section. 78 B. The examiner may not be the certifying examiner under this section or under section 3864. 79 C. If the post-admission examination is not held within 24 hours after the time of admission, or if a staff physician or licensed clinical psychologist fails or refuses after the examination to certify that, in his opinion, the person is mentally ill and due to his mental illness poses a likelihood of serious harm, the person shall be immediately discharged. 80       34-B M.R.S.A. § 3864 81 § 3864 Judicial procedure and commitment 82 1. Application. An application to the District Court to admit a person to a mental hospital, filed under section 3863, subsection 5, paragraph B, shall be accompanied by: 83 A. The emergency application under section 3863, subsection 1; 84 B. The accompanying certificate of the physician or psychologist under section 3863, subsection 2; 85 C. The certificate of the physician or psychologist under section 3863, subsection 7 that: 86 (1) The physician or psychologist has examined the patient; and 87 (2) It is the opinion of the physician or psychologist that the patient is a mentally ill person and, because of that patient's illness, poses a likelihood of serious harm; 88 D. A written statement, signed by the chief administrative officer of the hospital, certifying that a copy of the application and the accompanying documents have been given personally to the patient and that the patient and the patient's guardian or next of kin have been notified of the patient's right to retain an attorney or to have an attorney appointed, of the patient's right to select or to have the patient's attorney select an independent examiner and regarding instructions on how to contact the District Court; and 89 E. A copy of the notice and instructions given to the patient. 90 2. Detention pending judicial determination. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subchapter, a person, with respect to whom an application for the issuance of an order of hospitalization has been filed,, may not be released or discharged during the pendency of proceedings, unless: 91 A. The District Court orders release or discharge upon the request of the patient, or the patient's guardian, parent, spouse or next of kin; 92 B. The District Court orders release or discharge upon the report of the applicant that the person may be discharged with safety; 93 C. A court orders release or discharge upon a writ of habeas corpus under section 3804; or 94 D. Upon request of the commissioner, the District Court orders the transfer of a patient in need of more specialized treatment to another hospital. In the event of a transfer, the court shall transfer its file to the District Court having territorial jurisdiction over the receiving hospital. 95 3. Notice of receipt of application. The giving of notice of receipt of application and date of hearing under this section is governed as follows. 96 A. Upon receipt by the District Court of the application and accompanying documents specified in subsection 1, the court shall cause written notice of the application and date of hearing: 97 (1) To be mailed within 2 days of filing to the person; and 98 (2) To be mailed to the person's guardian, if known, and to the person's spouse, parent or one of the person's adult children, if none of these persons exist or if none of those persons can be located, to one of the person's next of kin or a friend, except that if the chief administrative officer has reason to believe that notice to any of these individuals would pose risk of harm to the person who is the subject of the application, notice to that individual may not be given. 99 B. A docket entry is sufficient evidence that notice under this subsection has been given. 100 4. Examination. Examinations under this section are governed as follows. 101 A. Upon receipt by the District Court of the application and the accompanying documents specified in subsection 1 and at least 3 days after the person who is the subject of the examination was notified by the hospital of the proceedings and of that person's right to retain counsel or to select an examiner, the court shall cause the person to be examined by 2 examiners. 102 (1) Each examiner must be either a licensed physician or a licensed clinical psychologist. 103 (2) One of the examiners must be a physician or psychologist chosen by the person or by that person's counsel, if the chosen physician or psychologist is reasonably available. 104 (3) Neither examiner appointed by the court may be the certifying examiner under section 3863, subsection 2 or 7. 105 B. The examination shall be held at the hospital or at any other suitable place not likely to have a harmful effect on the mental health of the person. 106 C. If the report of the examiners is to the effect that the person is not mentally ill or does not pose a likelihood of serious harm, the application shall be ordered discharged forthwith. 107 D. If the report of the examiners is to the effect that the person is mentally ill or poses a likelihood of serious harm, the hearing shall be held on the date, or on the continued date, which the court has set for the hearing. 108 5. Hearing. Hearings under this section are governed as follows. 109 A. The District Court shall hold a hearing on the application not later than 15 days from the date of the application. 110 (1) On a motion by any party, the hearing may be continued for cause for a period not to exceed 10 additional days. 111 (2) If the hearing is not held within the time specified, or within the specified continuance period, the court shall dismiss the application and order the person discharged forthwith. 112 (3) In computing the time periods set forth in this paragraph, the District Court Civil Rules shall apply. 113 B. The hearing must be conducted in as informal a manner as may be consistent with orderly procedure and in a physical setting not likely to have harmful effect on the mental health of the person. 114       115 C. The court shall receive all relevant and material evidence which may be offered in accordance with accepted rules of evidence and accepted judicial dispositions. 116 (1) The person, the applicant and all other persons to whom notice is required to be sent shall be afforded an opportunity to appear at the hearing to testify and to present and cross-examine witnesses. 117 (2) The court may, in its discretion, receive the testimony of any other person and may subpoena any witness. 118 D. The person shall be afforded an opportunity to be represented by counsel, and, if neither the person nor others provide counsel, the court shall appoint counsel for the person. 119 E. In addition to proving that the patient is a mentally ill individual, the applicant shall show: 120 (1) By evidence of the patient's actions and behavior, that the patient poses a likelihood of serious harm; and 121 (2) That, after full consideration of less restrictive treatment settings and modalities, inpatient hospitalization is the best available means for the treatment of the person. 122 F. In each case, the applicant shall submit to the court, at the time of the hearing, testimony, including expert psychiatric testimony, indicating the individual treatment plan to be followed by the hospital staff, if the person is committed under this section, and shall bear any expense for witnesses for this purpose. 123       124 6. Court findings. Procedures dealing with the District Court's findings under this section are as follows. 125 A. The District Court shall so state in the record, if it finds upon completion of the hearing and consideration of the record: 126 (1) Clear and convincing evidence that the person is mentally ill and that the person's recent actions and behavior demonstrate that the person's illness poses a likelihood of serious harm; 127 (2) That inpatient hospitalization is the best available means for treatment of the patient; and 128 (3) That it is satisfied with the individual treatment plan offered by the hospital to which the applicant seeks the patient's involuntary commitment. 129       130 7. Commitment. Upon making the findings described in subsection 6, the court may order a commitment to a hospital for a period not to exceed 4 months in the first instance and not to exceed one year after the first and all subsequent hearings. 131 A. The court may issue an order of commitment immediately after the completion of the hearing, or it may take the matter under advisement and issue an order within 24 hours of the hearing. 132 B. If the court does not issue an order of commitment within 24 hours of the completion of the hearing, it shall dismiss the application and order the patient discharged immediately. 133 8. Continued involuntary hospitalization. If the chief administrative officer of the hospital to which a person has been committed involuntarily by the District Court recommends that continued involuntary hospitalization is necessary for that person, the chief administrative officer shall notify the commissioner. The commissioner may then, not later than 30 days prior to the expiration of a period of commitment ordered by the court, make application in accordance with this section to the District Court that has territorial jurisdiction over the hospital designated for treatment in the application by the commissioner for a hearing to be held under this section.      134 11. Appeals. A person ordered by the District Court to be committed to a hospital may appeal from that order to the Superior Court. 135 A. The appeal is on questions of law only. 136 B. Any findings of fact of the District Court may not be set aside unless clearly erroneous. 137 C. The order of the District Court shall remain in effect pending the appeal. 138 D. The District Court Civil Rules and the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure apply to the conduct of the appeals, except as otherwise specified in this subsection.