Montana Code Annotated

Mont. Code Ann. § 53-20-101 (2026)

Purpose

✓ current as of May 2026
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TITLE 53. SOCIAL SERVICES AND INSTITUTIONS

CHAPTER 20. DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Part 1. Treatment

Purpose

53-20-101. Purpose. The purpose of this part is to:

(1) secure for each person who may be a person with developmental disabilities such treatment and habilitation as will be suited to the needs of the person and to assure that such treatment and habilitation are skillfully and humanely administered with full respect for the person's dignity and personal integrity;

(2) accomplish this goal whenever possible in a community-based setting;

(3) accomplish this goal in an institutionalized setting only when less restrictive alternatives are unavailable or inadequate and only when a person is so severely disabled as to require institutionalized care; and

(4) assure that due process of law is accorded any person coming under the provisions of this part.

History: En. 38-1201 by Sec. 1, Ch. 468, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 38-1201; amd. Sec. 21, Ch. 255, L. 1995.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1992–2024 · leading case: Maguire v. State, 835 P.2d 755 (Mont. 1992).
Maguire v. State, 835 P.2d 755 (Mont. 1992). · cites it 6× “Section 53-20-101(1), MCA, which sets forth the purpose of Montana's chapter pertaining to the developmentally disabled, states that: The purpose of this part is to: (1) secure for each person who may be developmentally disabled such treatment and habilitation as will be suited…”
In Re Gm, 2008 MT 200 (Mont. 2008). · cites it 4× “next contends that there was insufficient evidence to recommit him because the incidents of aggression noted in the RFST Report were too stale to be considered evidence that G.M. posed an "imminent" threat of harm to others.”
In Re Tp, 2008 MT 266 (Mont. 2008). · cites it 9× “2d at 1303 ; § 53-20-101, MCA (2005). Further, § 53-20-128(6), MCA, grants the court authority to order a recommitment based on the filed reports when the petitioner does not request a hearing.”
Matter of WM, 828 P.2d 378 (Mont. 1992). · cites it 6× “claims that if the behavior management program used with him at MDC had been used in the group home, the placement would have been successful.”
In Re Tw, 2005 MT 340 (Mont. 2005). · cites it 5× “While the Legislature declared, as a matter of public policy, a preference for community placement of such individuals over institutionalization, see § 53-20-101, MCA, this Court has clarified that this preference did not create "an absolute right to community placement.”
In re G. M., 2008 MT 200 (Mont. 2008). · cites it 4× “next contends that there was insufficient evidence to recommit him because the incidents of aggression noted in the RFST Report were too stale to be considered evidence that G.M. posed an “imminent” threat of harm to others.”
In re W.M., 252 Mont. 225 (Mont. 1992). · cites it 6× “Section 53-20-101, MCA. But that preference does not create an absolute right to community placement.”
In re T.W., 2005 MT 340 (Mont. 2005). · cites it 5× “While the Legislature declared, as a matter of public policy, a preference for community placement of such individuals over institutionalization, see § 53-20-101, MCA, this Court has clarified that this preference did not create “an absolute right to community placement.”
In re T.P., 2008 MT 266 (Mont. 2008). · cites it 9× “Although the March Plan, Janacaro’s Report, and the RFST Report were not formally offered into evidence, these documents were filed with the District Court before the hearing as required by statute and were available to the court and both parties.”
T.M.B v. West Mont & State, 2024 MT 319 (Mont. 2024). · cites it 13× “, as well as the applicable state law as outlined in the 4 Montana Developmental Disabilities and Facilities Act of 1974 (the Act) (codified at § 53-20-101, MCA, et seq.). The purpose of the Act is to, in part: (1) secure for each person who may be a person with developmental…”
In re L.S., 2009 MT 83 (Mont. 2009). · cites it 2× “Indeed, this Court now ignores the plain and unambiguous language of the definition of developmental disability, § 53-20-101(15), MCA (2005), just to keep the revolving door spinning.”
In the Matter of Ls, 2009 MT 83 (Mont. 2009). · cites it 2× “Indeed, this Court now ignores the plain and unambiguous language of the definition of developmental disability, § 53-20-101(15), MCA (2005), just to keep the revolving door spinning.”
— Mont. Code Ann. § 53-20-101(1) — 4 cases
Maguire v. State, 835 P.2d 755 (Mont. 1992). “Section 53-20-101(1), MCA, which sets forth the purpose of Montana's chapter pertaining to the developmentally disabled, states that: The purpose of this part is to: (1) secure for each person who may be developmentally disabled such treatment and habilitation as will be suited…”
In Re Tp, 2008 MT 266 (Mont. 2008). “2d at 1303 ; § 53-20-101, MCA (2005). Further, § 53-20-128(6), MCA, grants the court authority to order a recommitment based on the filed reports when the petitioner does not request a hearing.”
In re T.P., 2008 MT 266 (Mont. 2008). “Although the March Plan, Janacaro’s Report, and the RFST Report were not formally offered into evidence, these documents were filed with the District Court before the hearing as required by statute and were available to the court and both parties.”
T.M.B v. West Mont & State, 2024 MT 319 (Mont. 2024). “, as well as the applicable state law as outlined in the 4 Montana Developmental Disabilities and Facilities Act of 1974 (the Act) (codified at § 53-20-101, MCA, et seq.). The purpose of the Act is to, in part: (1) secure for each person who may be a person with developmental…”
— Mont. Code Ann. § 53-20-101(15) — 2 cases
In re L.S., 2009 MT 83 (Mont. 2009). “Indeed, this Court now ignores the plain and unambiguous language of the definition of developmental disability, § 53-20-101(15), MCA (2005), just to keep the revolving door spinning.”
In the Matter of Ls, 2009 MT 83 (Mont. 2009). “Indeed, this Court now ignores the plain and unambiguous language of the definition of developmental disability, § 53-20-101(15), MCA (2005), just to keep the revolving door spinning.”
— Mont. Code Ann. § 53-20-101(2) — 4 cases
Matter of WM, 828 P.2d 378 (Mont. 1992). “claims that if the behavior management program used with him at MDC had been used in the group home, the placement would have been successful.”
In Re Tw, 2005 MT 340 (Mont. 2005). “While the Legislature declared, as a matter of public policy, a preference for community placement of such individuals over institutionalization, see § 53-20-101, MCA, this Court has clarified that this preference did not create "an absolute right to community placement.”
In re W.M., 252 Mont. 225 (Mont. 1992). “Section 53-20-101, MCA. But that preference does not create an absolute right to community placement.”
In re T.W., 2005 MT 340 (Mont. 2005). “While the Legislature declared, as a matter of public policy, a preference for community placement of such individuals over institutionalization, see § 53-20-101, MCA, this Court has clarified that this preference did not create “an absolute right to community placement.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.