2017 Delaware Code
Title 16 - Health and Safety
CHAPTER 50. INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT OF PERSONS WITH MENTAL CONDITIONS; DISCHARGE; PROCEDURE
§ 5005. Provisional hospitalization by psychiatrist's certification.

(a) No person will be involuntarily admitted to a hospital as a patient until the person is detained for observation pursuant to the procedure set forth in § 5004 of this title. At the completion of the emergency detention period, the person shall not be admitted to a hospital except pursuant to the written certification of a psychiatrist that based upon the psychiatrist's examination of such person:

(1) Appears to be a person with a mental condition;

(2) The person has been offered voluntary inpatient treatment and has declined such care and treatment or lacks the capacity to knowingly and voluntarily consent to such care and treatment;

(3) As a result of the person's apparent mental condition, the person poses a present threat, based upon manifest indications, of being dangerous to self or dangerous to others; and

(4) Less restrictive alternatives have been considered and determined to be clinically inappropriate at the present time.

(b) The psychiatrist's certificate shall state with particularity the behavior and symptoms upon which the psychiatrist's opinion is based, shall include (where available) the name and address of the spouse or other nearest relative or person of close relationship to the alleged person with a mental condition, and shall state that such person is not willing to accept hospital care and treatment on a voluntary basis or that the person is incapable of voluntarily consenting to such care and treatment. The certificate shall also set forth the date of the psychiatrist's determination. The hospital shall thereupon advise the involuntary patient of the patient's rights under this chapter in language that is understandable to the individual. Upon completion of the psychiatrist's certificate, the individual shall be detained for an additional 48-hour period.

(c) If the examining psychiatrist at the hospital determines that the involuntary patient no longer meets the criteria for provisional admission, the psychiatrist shall so certify in writing and the hospital shall immediately discharge the person. Prior to such discharge, the hospital shall provide the person with a copy of the certificate stating that the person was not involuntarily committed for any legal purpose.

(d) If the person seeks voluntary care and treatment after being provisionally admitted under this section, the provisional admission will terminate and the person shall be voluntarily admitted to a hospital without delay.

(e) The 48-hour observation period prescribed in this section shall be referred to as "provisional admission.'' An individual who is provisionally admitted pursuant to this chapter shall not be considered "involuntarily committed'' for any legal purpose.

60 Del. Laws, c. 95, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 78 Del. Laws, c. 179, § 175; 79 Del. Laws, c. 442, § 1.;