TITLE 37 MENTAL HEALTH

Section 7. Hospitalization and Treatment of Alcoholics, Drug Dependent Individuals, and Drug Abusers, 37-7-1 through 37-7-168.

ARTICLE 3 EXAMINATION, HOSPITALIZATION, AND TREATMENT OF INVOLUNTARY PATIENTS

37-7-82. Procedure upon failure of or noncompliance with involuntary outpatient treatment plan.

1. If at any time during a period of involuntary outpatient treatment, including but not limited to interim outpatient treatment arranged pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 37-7-91, the physician or psychologist in charge of the patient's outpatient treatment plan determines that, because of a change in the patient's condition, the least restrictive alternative which would accomplish the treatment goals is hospitalization of the patient, then that physician or psychologist may execute a certificate under the conditions specified in subsection (a) of Code Section 37-7-41. That certificate shall have the same duration and effect as a certificate issued pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 37-7-41.
2. If at any time during a period of involuntary outpatient treatment, including but not limited to interim outpatient treatment arranged pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 37-7-91, the patient fails without good cause or refuses to comply with the outpatient treatment plan, the physician or psychologist in charge of the outpatient treatment plan or that physician's or psychologist's designee may petition the court originally approving the involuntary treatment of the patient or the court of the county in which the patient is a resident or where the patient may be found for an order authorizing a peace officer to take the patient and immediately deliver the patient to the community mental health center in charge of the patient's outpatient treatment plan, if a physician or psychologist is available there to examine the patient, or to the nearest emergency receiving facility serving the county in which the patient is found. If in the discretion of the court such an order is issued, the patient shall be delivered to the facility and may be given such emergency or other medical treatment as is indicated by good medical practice. The patient must be released from the custody of the community mental health center within four hours and from the custody of the emergency receiving facility within 48 hours after being taken into the custody of that center or facility unless the examining physician or psychologist concludes that, because of a change in the patient's condition, the least restrictive alternative which would accomplish the treatment goals is hospitalization of the patient. The physician or a psychologist may then execute a certificate under the conditions specified therefor in subsection (a) of Code Section 37-7-41, if the examination is done in a community mental health center, or under the conditions specified therefor in Code Section 37-7-43, if the examination is done in an emergency receiving facility.That certificate shall have the same duration and effect as a certificate issued pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 37-7-41 or Code Section 37-7-43, as applicable.
3. With regard to a patient required to obtain involuntary outpatient treatment, the court may issue any order authorized under subsection (b) of Code Section 37-7-41, but if the court knows that patient is required to obtain involuntary outpatient treatment, that court may issue such order only upon the court's determination, in addition to any other conditions for the issuance of that order, that such patient has not complied with the involuntary outpatient treatment or that the patient reasonably appears to be an inpatient.
4. Any patient detained in a facility pursuant to this Code section shall not be required during that period of detention to obtain outpatient treatment required by any order which is then in effect and which was issued pursuant to this chapter. That order shall otherwise remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the patient's detention in or release from the facility unless that facility obtains a court order authorized by Code Section 37-7-81.1 which expressly supersedes the prior order.

(Code 1933, § 88-406.3, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 1856, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 785, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1024, § 6; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1098, § 9; Ga. L. 1987, p. 797, § 6; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1059, § 35; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1902, § 21.)