2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 17a - Social and Human Services and Resources
Chapter 319i - Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities
Section 17a-506 - (Formerly Sec. 17-187). Voluntary admissions. Notification of next of kin. Restriction on right to leave. Commitment proceedings. Continuation of confinement. Probable cause hearing.

(a) Any hospital for psychiatric disabilities may receive for observation and treatment any person who in writing requests to be received; but no such person shall be confined in any such hospital for psychiatric disabilities for more than three business days, after he or she has given notice in writing of his or her desire to leave, unless an application for commitment has been filed in a court of competent jurisdiction. Such person shall be informed at the time of such admission concerning such patient’s ability to leave after three days’ notice pursuant to this subsection and shall also be informed that an application may be filed under subsection (e) of this section in which case such patient’s ability to leave may be delayed in accordance with the provisions of said subsection.

(b) Any person desiring admission to a hospital for psychiatric disabilities for care and treatment of psychiatric disabilities may be admitted as a patient without making formal or written application therefor if the superintendent deems such person clinically suitable for such admission, care and treatment, and any such patient may be free to leave such hospital at any time after admission.

(c) Any person for whom a conservator of the person has been appointed in accordance with sections 45a-644 to 45a-662, inclusive, may request admission to a hospital for psychiatric disabilities and such hospital may admit such person. The hospital shall notify the conservator and the probate court which appointed the conservator of the admission not later than five business days after such admission. The probate court shall, not later than ten business days after such notice, appoint a physician who is a psychiatrist from the list provided by the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services as set forth in subsection (c) of section 17a-498. The physician shall examine the patient within ten business days of his appointment to determine if the patient has given informed consent to his or her hospitalization. The physician shall make a report forthwith to the court. If the court concludes that the patient did not give informed consent to the hospitalization, the court, on its own motion, may proceed in the manner provided in subsections (a), (b), (c) and (f) of section 17a-498. All costs and expenses, including Probate Court entry fees, shall be paid by the patient or, if he has a conservator of the estate, by such conservator.

(d) Whenever a person is admitted to a hospital for psychiatric disabilities under the provisions of this section, such person, if he or she consents in writing at the time of admission, shall furnish the name of his or her next of kin or a close friend. The person in charge of such hospital shall notify such next of kin or close friend of the admission of such patient and the discharge of such patient, provided such patient consents in writing to any such notification.

(e) Whenever a person is confined to a hospital for psychiatric disabilities under the provisions of this section and gives notice of the desire to leave under subsection (a) hereof, any person, including the person in charge of such hospital, may institute proceedings for his or her commitment in the court of probate having jurisdiction in the town where such hospital is located. In such event, such confinement shall be continued for an additional period of time in order for the respondent to prepare for the hearing to be held upon such application, provided no such confinement shall be continued for more than fifteen days from the date of the filing of the notice in writing of the desire to leave, and provided further such person shall not be confined in any hospital, either public or private, upon an emergency certificate issued prior to discharge and within fifteen days excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, after such person gives notice of his or her desire to leave, as provided in subsection (a) of this section. Such respondent shall have the right to a probable cause hearing under the provisions of section 17a-502.

(1949 Rev., S. 2655; 1963, P.A. 320; P.A. 76-227, S. 5, 7; P.A. 77-4, S. 1, 2; 77-595, S. 5, 9; P.A. 78-126, S. 1; P.A. 80-189, S. 2; P.A. 83-128; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 48, 58; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11, S. 55, 65; P.A. 09-145, S. 6.)

History: 1963 act added Subsec. (b); P.A. 76-227 required that person be notified when admitted of his ability to leave after ten days’ notice; P.A. 77-4 changed effective date of 1976 act from March 1, 1977, to October 1, 1977; P.A. 77-595 replaced ten-day confinement with five-day confinement, excluding weekends and holidays and added reference to applications under newly added Subsec. (c) re commitment proceedings instituted upon patient giving notice of desire to leave; P.A. 78-126 inserted new Subsec. (c) re next-of-kin and redesignated former Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d); P.A. 80-189 added proviso in Subsec. (d) re confinement under emergency certificate after patient gives notice of desire to leave; P.A. 83-128 inserted new Subsec. (c) re procedure for voluntary admission of person for whom a conservator of the person has been appointed, relettering former Subsecs. (c) and (d) accordingly; Sec. 17-187 transferred to Sec. 17a-506 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Mental Health with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and substituted “psychiatric disabilities” for “mental illness”, effective July 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical change and to reduce confinement time, after giving of notice, from five days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, to three business days, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 09-145 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “panel” with “list” and making technical changes.

Persuading plaintiff by fraud and deceit to sign voluntary commitment held a tort “unaccompanied by force” under former statute of limitation. 123 C. 651. To impose duty on institution to inform inmate of right to obtain release, something more than expression of desire must be shown. 124 C. 170.

When release of sixteen-year-old voluntary patient required. 30 CS 320. Cited. 33 CS 193.