2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 17a - Social and Human Services and Resources
Chapter 319 - Department of Children and Families
Section 17a-78 - (Formerly Sec. 17-205e). Hospitalization of child for diagnosis or treatment of mental disorder. Examination. Discharge. Rights to be explained. Hearing. Duties of hospital. Order for continued hospitalization. Immediate discharge. Issuance of emergency certificate.

(a) If a physician determines that a child is in need of immediate hospitalization for evaluation or treatment of a mental disorder, the child may be hospitalized under an emergency or diagnostic certificate as provided in this section for not more than fifteen days without order of any court, unless a written application for commitment of such child has been filed in the Court of Probate prior to the expiration of the fifteen days, in which event such hospitalization shall be continued under the emergency certificate for an additional fifteen days or twenty-five days if the matter has been transferred to the Superior Court, or until the completion of court proceedings, whichever occurs first. At the time of delivery of such child to such hospital, there shall be left, with the persons in charge of such hospital, a certificate, signed by a physician licensed to practice medicine or surgery in Connecticut and dated not more than three days prior to its delivery to the person in charge of the hospital. Such certificate shall state the findings of the physician and the date of personal examination of the child to be hospitalized, which shall be not more than three days prior to the date of the signature of the certificate.

(b) Any child hospitalized under this section shall be examined by a physician specializing in psychiatry within twenty-four hours of admission. If such physician is of the opinion that the child does not require hospitalization for emergency evaluation or treatment of a mental disorder, such child shall be immediately discharged. The physician shall record his or her findings in a permanent record.

(c) If any child is hospitalized under this section, the child and the guardian of such child shall be promptly informed by the hospital that such child has the right to consult an attorney and the right to a hearing under subsection (d) of this section, and that if such a hearing is requested or an application for commitment is filed, such child has the right to be represented by counsel, and that counsel will be provided at the state’s expense if the child is unable to pay for such counsel. The reasonable compensation for counsel provided to persons unable to pay shall be established by, and paid from funds appropriated to, the Judicial Department, however, if funds have not been included in the budget of the Judicial Department for such purposes, such compensation shall be established by the Probate Court Administrator and paid from the Probate Court Administration Fund.

(d) At any time prior to the initiation of proceedings under section 17a-76, any child hospitalized under this section or his or her representative, may, in writing, request a hearing. Such hearing shall be held within seventy-two hours of receipt of such request, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. At such hearing, the child shall have the right to be present, to cross-examine all witnesses testifying, and to be represented by counsel as provided in section 17a-76. The hearing shall be held by the court of probate having jurisdiction for commitment as provided in section 17a-76, and the hospital shall immediately notify such court of any request for a hearing by a child hospitalized under this section. At the conclusion of the hearing, if the court finds that there is probable cause to conclude that the child is subject to involuntary hospitalization under this section, considering the condition of the child at the time of the admission and at the time of the hearing, the effects of medication, if any, and the advisability of continued treatment based on testimony from the hospital staff, the court shall order that such child’s hospitalization continue for the remaining time provided for in the emergency certificate or until the completion of probate proceedings under section 17a-76. If the court does not find there is probable cause to conclude that the child is subject to involuntary hospitalization under this section, the child shall be immediately discharged.

(e) The superintendent or director of any hospital for mental illness of children shall immediately discharge any child admitted under this section who is later found not to meet the standards for emergency treatment.

(f) Any clinical social worker licensed under chapter 383b, advanced practice registered nurse licensed under chapter 378 or professional counselor licensed under chapter 383c who has (1) received a minimum of eight hours of specialized training in the conduct of direct evaluations as a member of any emergency mobile psychiatric services team under contract with the Department of Children and Families, and (2) reasonable cause to believe, based on a direct evaluation of a child, that such child (A) has psychiatric disabilities, (B) is dangerous to himself or others or gravely disabled, and (C) is in need of immediate care and treatment may issue an emergency certificate that requires the hospitalization of such child for a psychiatric and medical evaluation. Such child shall be evaluated not later than twenty-four hours after the issuance of the emergency certificate and shall not be held for more than seventy-two hours pursuant to such certificate unless committed pursuant to section 17a-77. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall collect and maintain statistical and demographic information pertaining to emergency certificates issued under this subsection.

(P.A. 79-511, S. 4; P.A. 93-197; P.A. 96-170, S. 3, 23; P.A. 97-90, S. 5, 6; P.A. 10-170, S. 1.)

History: Sec. 17-205e transferred to Sec. 17a-78 in 1991; P.A. 93-197 added Subsecs. (c) and (d) re hearing concerning hospitalization of child under an emergency or diagnostic certificate; P.A. 96-170 amended Subsec. (c) by changing funding of compensation of counsel from Probate Court Administration Fund to funds appropriated to Judicial Department, unless funds not included in budget of Judicial Department for such purpose, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 97-90 revised effective date of P.A. 96-170 but without affecting this section; P.A. 10-170 added Subsec. (f) re issuance of emergency certificate for hospitalization of child for psychiatric and medical evaluation.