Delaware § 2211 - Involuntary treatment.

§ 2211. Involuntary treatment.

(a) A person in need of treatment shall be involuntarily admitted to a licensed residential treatment facility or outpatient treatment program upon a written request for involuntary treatment that provides a factual basis for the request by anyone with knowledge that an individual may be a person in need of treatment and the written certification by a physician that the individual is a person in need of treatment as provided for in this chapter. The request for involuntary treatment shall concisely provide the observations, circumstances and knowledge of the requestor regarding the requestor’s belief that a particular individual is in need of treatment. The request shall also contain the written certificate of a physician stating that the physician has reviewed the request and examined the patient and concluded that in the physician’s medical opinion the particular individual is a person in need of treatment and is either incapable of or unwilling to consent to treatment. If the individual is incapable of consenting to treatment, the certificate shall state with particularity the physician’s findings regarding why the individual is incapable of providing voluntary informed consent to treatment. The refusal to undergo treatment does not in itself constitute evidence of lack of judgment as to the need for treatment.

(b) Any peace officer or designated transport personnel may lawfully transport an individual whom they reasonably believe is a person in need of treatment without the consent of said individual, to or from a hospital, physician’s office or licensed treatment facility for the purpose of carrying out this section.

(c) Upon admission of the person in need of treatment, the facility shall evaluate and treat the individual as medically necessary and appropriate for a period not to exceed 2 working days.

(d) The State Treasurer shall pay sheriffs and deputy sheriffs for service as peace officers under this section at the rate of the state’s mileage reimbursement amount for each mile necessarily traveled and a custody fee of $25 for the first peace officer and $15 for each additional peace officer, and shall pay medical doctors for services under this section $15 for each case, unless the medical doctor is reimbursed under another public or private plan.

(e) The administrator in charge of a licensed treatment facility shall refuse an application if the request for treatment or physician’s certificate fails to meet the requirements of this section.

73 Del. Laws, c. 358, §  2;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1;