2013 Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 433A - Admission to Mental Health Facilities or Programs of Community-Based or Outpatient Services; Hospitalization
NRS 433A.160 - Procedure for admission.

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, an application for the emergency admission of a person alleged to be a person with mental illness for evaluation, observation and treatment may only be made by an accredited agent of the Department, an officer authorized to make arrests in the State of Nevada or a physician, psychologist, marriage and family therapist, clinical professional counselor, social worker or registered nurse. The agent, officer, physician, psychologist, marriage and family therapist, clinical professional counselor, social worker or registered nurse may:

(a) Without a warrant:

(1) Take a person alleged to be a person with mental illness into custody to apply for the emergency admission of the person for evaluation, observation and treatment; and

(2) Transport the person alleged to be a person with mental illness to a public or private mental health facility or hospital for that purpose, or arrange for the person to be transported by:

(I) A local law enforcement agency;

(II) A system for the nonemergency medical transportation of persons whose operation is authorized by the Nevada Transportation Authority;

(III) An entity that is exempt pursuant to NRS 706.745 from the provisions of NRS 706.386 or 706.421; or

(IV) If medically necessary, an ambulance service that holds a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of chapter 450B of NRS,

only if the agent, officer, physician, psychologist, marriage and family therapist, clinical professional counselor, social worker or registered nurse has, based upon his or her personal observation of the person alleged to be a person with mental illness, probable cause to believe that the person has a mental illness and, because of that illness, is likely to harm himself or herself or others if allowed his or her liberty.

(b) Apply to a district court for an order requiring:

(1) Any peace officer to take a person alleged to be a person with mental illness into custody to allow the applicant for the order to apply for the emergency admission of the person for evaluation, observation and treatment; and

(2) Any agency, system or service described in subparagraph (2) of paragraph (a) to transport the person alleged to be a person with mental illness to a public or private mental health facility or hospital for that purpose.

The district court may issue such an order only if it is satisfied that there is probable cause to believe that the person has a mental illness and, because of that illness, is likely to harm himself or herself or others if allowed his or her liberty.

2. An application for the emergency admission of a person alleged to be a person with mental illness for evaluation, observation and treatment may be made by a spouse, parent, adult child or legal guardian of the person. The spouse, parent, adult child or legal guardian and any other person who has a legitimate interest in the person alleged to be a person with mental illness may apply to a district court for an order described in paragraph (b) of subsection 1.

3. The application for the emergency admission of a person alleged to be a person with mental illness for evaluation, observation and treatment must reveal the circumstances under which the person was taken into custody and the reasons therefor.

4. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, each person admitted to a public or private mental health facility or hospital under an emergency admission must be evaluated at the time of admission by a psychiatrist or a psychologist. If a psychiatrist or a psychologist is not available to conduct an evaluation at the time of admission, a physician may conduct the evaluation. Each such emergency admission must be approved by a psychiatrist.

5. As used in this section, an accredited agent of the Department means any person appointed or designated by the Director of the Department to take into custody and transport to a mental health facility pursuant to subsections 1 and 2 those persons in need of emergency admission.

(Added to NRS by 1975, 1603; A 1983, 506; 1985, 2269; 1989, 1759; 1997, 3494; 2001, 1017, 3042; 2005, 967; 2007, 3087)