Wisconsin Statutes
Wis. Stat. § 51.10 (2026)
Voluntary admission of adults
✓ current as of July 2026
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51.10(1)(1) With the approval of the treatment director of the treatment facility or the director’s designee, or in the case of a center for the developmentally disabled, the director of the center or the director’s designee, and the approval of the director of the appropriate county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437, an adult desiring admission to an approved inpatient treatment facility may be admitted upon application. This subsection applies only to admissions made through a county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437 or through the department.
51.10(2)(2) With the approval of the director of the treatment facility or the director’s designee and the director of the appropriate county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437, an adult may be voluntarily admitted to a state inpatient treatment facility.
51.10(3)(3) Voluntary admission of adult alcoholics and adults who are drug dependent shall be in accordance with s. 51.45 (10).
51.10(4)(4) The criteria for voluntary admission to an inpatient treatment facility shall be based on an evaluation that the applicant is mentally ill or developmentally disabled, or is an alcoholic or drug dependent and that the person has the potential to benefit from inpatient care, treatment or therapy. An applicant is not required to meet a standard of dangerousness under s. 51.20 (1) (a) 2. to be eligible for the benefits of voluntary treatment programs. An applicant may be admitted for the purpose of making a diagnostic evaluation.
51.10(4m)(a)(a) An adult who has an identified funding source that is not obtained through the county department and who meets the criteria for voluntary admission under sub. (4) or an adult whose admission is approved under sub. (1) or (2) and who meets the criteria for voluntary admission under sub. (4) may be admitted to an inpatient treatment facility if all of the following requirements are met:
51.10(4m)(a)1.1. A physician of the facility submits a signed request and certifies in writing, before not less than 2 witnesses, that the physician has advised the patient in the presence of the witnesses both orally and in writing of the person’s rights under sub. (5) and of the benefits and risks of treatment, the patient’s right to the least restrictive form of treatment appropriate to the patient’s needs and the responsibility of the facility to provide the patient with this treatment; or
51.10(4m)(b)(b) Any person admitted under par. (a) 1. who fails to indicate a desire to leave the facility but who refuses or is unable to sign an application for admission is presumed to consent to admission and may be held for up to 7 days as a voluntary patient.
51.10(4m)(c)(c) On the first court day following admission under par. (a) 1., the facility shall notify the court assigned to exercise probate jurisdiction for the county in which the facility is located of the admission. Within 24 hours after receiving this notice, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to visit the facility and to determine if there has been compliance with this subsection. The guardian ad litem shall visit the patient within 48 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, to ascertain whether the patient wishes a less restrictive form of treatment and, if so, shall assist the patient in obtaining the proper assistance from the facility. The guardian ad litem shall inform the patient of all rights to which the patient is entitled under this chapter.
51.10(4m)(d)(d) If a patient admitted under par. (a) 1. has not signed a voluntary admission application within 7 days after admission, the patient, the guardian ad litem and the physician who signed the admission request shall appear before the judge or a circuit court commissioner assigned to exercise probate jurisdiction for the county in which the facility is located to determine whether the patient shall remain in the facility as a voluntary patient. If the judge or circuit court commissioner determines that the patient desires to leave the facility, the facility shall discharge the patient. If the facility has reason to believe the patient is eligible for commitment under s. 51.20, the facility may initiate procedures for involuntary commitment.
51.10(5)(a)(a) At the time of admission to an inpatient facility the individual being admitted shall be informed orally and in writing of his or her right to leave upon submission of a written request to the staff of the facility except when the director or such person’s designee files a statement of emergency detention under s. 51.15 with the court by the end of the next day in which the court transacts business.
51.10(5)(b)(b) Writing materials for use in requesting discharge shall be available at all times to any voluntarily admitted individual, and shall be given to the individual upon request. A copy of the patient’s and resident’s rights shall be given to the individual at the time of admission.
51.10(5)(c)(c) Any patient or resident voluntarily admitted to an inpatient treatment facility shall be discharged on request, unless the treatment director or the treatment director’s designee has reason to believe that the patient or resident is dangerous in accordance with a standard under s. 51.20 (1) (a) 2. or (am) and files a statement of emergency detention under s. 51.15 with the court by the end of the next day in which the court transacts business. The patient or resident shall be notified immediately when such a statement is to be filed. Prior to the filing of a statement, the patient or resident may be detained only long enough for the staff of the facility to evaluate the individual’s condition and to file the statement of emergency detention. This time period may not exceed the end of the next day in which the court transacts business. Once a statement is filed, a patient or resident may be detained as provided in s. 51.15 (1). The probable cause hearing required under s. 51.20 (7) shall be held within 72 hours after the request for discharge, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.
51.10(6)(6) A person against whom a petition for involuntary commitment has been filed under s. 51.15 or 51.20 may agree to be admitted to an inpatient treatment facility under this section. The court may permit the person to become a voluntary patient or resident pursuant to this section upon signing an application for voluntary admission, if the director of the appropriate county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437 and the director of the facility to which the person will be admitted approve of the voluntary admission within 30 days of the admission. Except as provided in s. 51.20 (8) (bg) or (bm), the court shall dismiss the proceedings under s. 51.20 30 days after the person’s admission if the person is still a voluntary patient or resident or upon the discharge of the person by the treatment director of the facility or his or her designee, if that occurs first. For any person who is a voluntary patient or resident under this subsection, actions required under s. 51.35 (5) shall be initiated within 14 days of admission.
51.10(7)(7) The treatment director of a facility may temporarily admit an individual to an inpatient facility when there is reason to question the competency of such individual. The treatment director shall then apply to the court for appointment of a guardian within 48 hours of the time of admission, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. The individual may remain at the facility pending appointment of a guardian.
51.10(8)(8) An adult for whom, because of incompetency, a guardian of the person has been appointed in this state may be voluntarily admitted to an inpatient treatment facility if the guardian consents after the requirements of sub. (4m) (a) 1. are satisfied or if the guardian and the ward consent to the admission under this section.
51.10(9)(9) Upon admission to an inpatient facility, the facility shall offer the patient orally and in writing the opportunity to execute an informed consent form under s. 51.30 (2), requiring the facility to notify the patient’s parent, child or spouse or any other adult of the patient’s release. If the patient signs the consent form, the facility shall notify the person specified in the form as soon as possible after the patient requests release.
51.10 HistoryHistory: 1975 c. 430; 1977 c. 354, 428, 447; 1979 c. 336; 1985 a. 29 s. 3200 (56); 1985 a. 139, 176, 332; 1987 a. 366; 1995 a. 292; 2001 a. 61; 2005 a. 264, 387; 2007 a. 45; 2017 a. 34.
51.10 AnnotationSub. (5) (c) plainly and unambiguously sets out the procedure for detaining voluntarily admitted patients who seek release and who the treatment director deems dangerous. Dane County v. Stevenson L.J., 2009 WI App 84, 320 Wis. 2d 194, 768 N.W.2d 223, 08-1281.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13
cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case: Schuster v. Altenberg, 424 N.W.2d 159 (Wis. 1988).
Schuster v. Altenberg, 424 N.W.2d 159 (Wis. 1988). “From this *234 allegation it may be reasonably inferred that the claim encompasses a failure to induce voluntary commitment under sec. 51.10, Stats., or to initiate proceedings for either emergency detention under sec.”
Kidd v. Schmidt, 399 F. Supp. 301 (E.D. Wis. 1975). “In this action the plaintiff seeks declaratory and injunctive relief because of his having been committed without a hearing pursuant to Wis.Stat. § 51.10 (1973) to the Milwaukee County Child-Adolescent Treatment Center [CATC].”
In Re Mental Commitment of Stevenson Lj, 2009 WI App 84 (Wis. Ct. App. 2009). “The County also makes passing reference to Wis. Stat. § 51.10 (5)(c), which provides as follows: *207 Any patient or resident voluntarily admitted to an inpatient treatment facility shall be discharged on request, unless the treatment director or the treatment director's…”
State Ex Rel. Jones v. Gerhardstein, 416 N.W.2d 883 (Wis. 1987). “When the class of involuntarily committed individuals is compared to psychiatric and medical patients voluntarily admitted to treatment facilities under sec. 51.10, Stats., the disparity of statutory treatment is even more apparent in an equal protection analysis.”
Rolo v. Goers, 497 N.W.2d 724 (Wis. 1993). “" Section 51.10(4). An involuntary commitment pursuant to sec.”
State Ex Rel. B.S.L. v. Lee, 340 N.W.2d 568 (Wis. Ct. App. 1983). “Section 51.10(5) (c), Stats., sets no requirements as to the contents of affidavits for emergency detention.”
Milwaukee Cnty. Combined Cmty. Servs. Bd. v. Haskins, 304 N.W.2d 125 (Wis. Ct. App. 1980). “In Wisconsin, persons are admitted to treatment facilities in the following general situations: (1) voluntary application under sec. 51.10, Stats.; (2) voluntary application of minors under sec.”
Matter of Mental Commitment of Aaron JJ, 2005 WI 162 (Wis. 2005). “[2] See Wis. Stat. §§ 51.10 (voluntary admission of adults), 51.”
Sheboygan Cnty. v. N. A. L., 2026 WI 16 (Wis. 2026). “” First, under § 51.10, “[a] person against whom a petition for involuntary commitment has been filed under s.”
Lloyd N. Johnson v. Thomas Harding (Wis. Ct. App. 2023). “Considering both the language of the Agreement and the surrounding circumstances, it is clear that the Agreement is an application for admission to MHC under WIS.”
Benjamin v. Sanchez (E.D. Wis. 2020). “The amended complaint says that the Milwaukee Police Department escorted the plaintiff to the MMHC, but doesn’t say whether that was because he was being detained on criminal charges, was voluntarily committed under Wis. Stat. §51.10 or had been involuntarily committed under Wis.”
Outagamie Cnty. v. M. J. B., 2026 WI 23 (Wis. 2026). “§ 51.10(10)(c), the circuit court properly disregarded the error as harmless.”
— Wis. Stat. § 51.10(10)(c) — 1 case
Outagamie Cnty. v. M. J. B., 2026 WI 23 (Wis. 2026). “§ 51.10(10)(c), the circuit court properly disregarded the error as harmless.”
— Wis. Stat. § 51.10(3)(f) — 1 case
State v. Halmstad, 694 N.W.2d 509 (Wis. Ct. App. 2005).
— Wis. Stat. § 51.10(4) — 1 case
Rolo v. Goers, 497 N.W.2d 724 (Wis. 1993). “" Section 51.10(4). An involuntary commitment pursuant to sec.”
— Wis. Stat. § 51.10(5) — 1 case
State Ex Rel. B.S.L. v. Lee, 340 N.W.2d 568 (Wis. Ct. App. 1983). “Section 51.10(5) (c), Stats., sets no requirements as to the contents of affidavits for emergency detention.”
— Wis. Stat. § 51.10(5)(c) — 2 cases
In Re Mental Commitment of Stevenson Lj, 2009 WI App 84 (Wis. Ct. App. 2009). “The County also makes passing reference to Wis. Stat. § 51.10 (5)(c), which provides as follows: *207 Any patient or resident voluntarily admitted to an inpatient treatment facility shall be discharged on request, unless the treatment director or the treatment director's…”
Lloyd N. Johnson v. Thomas Harding (Wis. Ct. App. 2023). “Considering both the language of the Agreement and the surrounding circumstances, it is clear that the Agreement is an application for admission to MHC under WIS.”
— Wis. Stat. § 51.10(6) — 1 case
Sheboygan Cnty. v. N. A. L., 2026 WI 16 (Wis. 2026). “” First, under § 51.10, “[a] person against whom a petition for involuntary commitment has been filed under s.”
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