2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 17a-79. (Formerly Sec. 17-205f). Hospitalization of child for diagnosis or treatment of mental disorder.
Sec. 17a-79. (Formerly Sec. 17-205f). Hospitalization of child for diagnosis or
treatment of mental disorder. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
any hospital may admit any child for diagnosis or treatment of a mental disorder upon
the written request of the child's parent. A child fourteen years of age or over may be
admitted under this section without consent of his or her parents if such child consents
in writing, provided that the parents of such child, if any, shall be notified within five
days of such admission that such child has been hospitalized under the provisions of
this subsection. If the whereabouts of such parents are unknown, then such child's nearest relative shall be so notified. In the event that a child's parent or guardian requests
in writing release of such child, or in the event a child age fourteen or older who has
been admitted with his or her written consent requests in writing his or her release, the
hospital shall release such child or commence commitment proceedings in accordance
with sections 17a-76 and 17a-77 and the hospital may detain the child for five business
days, in order to allow an application to be filed. In the event such an application is
filed, such hospitalization shall be continued for an additional period of time to allow
such application to be heard, but in no event shall such hospitalization continue for more
than fifteen days, or twenty-five days, if the matter has been transferred to the Superior
Court, beyond the receipt of such application by the court.
(P.A. 79-511, S. 5; P.A. 81-247, S. 6, 7; P.A. 86-311, S. 1; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2.)
History: P.A. 81-247 eliminated the provision that allowed surrogate parents to request admission of a child to a hospital for diagnosis or treatment of a mental disorder; P.A. 86-311 divided the section into Subsecs. (a) and (b), in Subsec. (a) deleting language concerning the admission of a child who is in the custody of the commissioner of children and youth services for diagnosis or treatment, and adding provisions as new Subsec. (b) which provided the standard of when a child in the commissioner's custody may be admitted for diagnosis and treatment; Sec. 17-205f transferred to Sec. 17a-79 in 1991; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993.
