Ala. Code § 22-52-17 (2026)
Public Facilities Other Than Department of Mental Health Not Required to Perform Mental Evaluations; Exceptions.
Notwithstanding any other language in this article, the following limitations shall apply. No public facility other than the Department of Mental Health may be required (as distinguished from authorized) by the probate court to perform any mental evaluation of a person sought to be committed for use in any final commitment hearing except:
(1) In an emergency case wherein no other source or agency which is funded or mandated by federal law, state law or both to provide such services is objectively capable of performing such evaluation within the time limit imposed by law; or
(2) In an emergency case wherein no other source or agency operates to perform such evaluation in such emergency case, a public hospital may be required to accept a person sought to be committed for the provision of hospital care, if such person is admitted to the public hospital or other facility by a medical doctor who has agreed to provide professional services, including evaluation of the patient, prior to admission to the public hospital or other facility.
In all stages in the proceedings, including final commitment, public facilities may be utilized only with and upon their concurrence and upon written certification by the Department of Mental Health that no facility of the Mental Health Department is available or capable of performing said mental evaluation. The probate judge shall order and the sheriff shall deliver said person to the nearest available facility of the Department of Mental Health for evaluation. The sheriff shall receive reimbursement for expenses in transporting said persons to and from the facility at the rate allowed in Section 36-7-20. The cost of conveying such person shall be taxed as costs of the proceeding.
(Acts 1977, No. 670, p. 1143; Acts 1984, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 84-833, §1.)