(a)(1) Concurrently with Article 1, commencing with Section 22–52–1.1, ofChapter 52 of Title 22, an attending physician, nurse practitioner, orphysician assistant at a hospital licensed in this state may execute acertificate stating that he or she has personally evaluated an individual and has found, based upon theobservations set forth in detail in the certificate, that the individualappears to be mentally ill, is a danger to himself or herself or others, andrequires immediate treatment.(2) Uponexecution of the certificate described in subdivision (1), the attendingphysician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant may detain and provideemergency treatment to the individual for up to 72 hours, and consent formedical treatment shall be presumed as provided in Section 22–8–1.(3) Afterexecution of the certificate, but no more than 36 hours from execution of thecertificate, the executor of the certificate shall send the certificate to a persondesignated by the regional mentalhealth provider for Pike County in order to facilitatethe evaluation xecution of thecertificate, the executor of the certificate shall send the certificate to a persondesignated by the regional mentalhealth provider for Pike County in order to facilitatethe evaluation of the individual and determine need for a petition as providedin Article 1, commencing with Section 22–52–1.1, of Chapter 52 of Title 22.(b) An individual treated pursuant to subsection (a) shallbe discharged within 72 hours, unless the Pike County Judge of Probate ordersfurther inpatient or outpatient treatment for the individual as provided inArticle 1, commencing with Section 22–52–1.1, of Chapter 52 of Title 22.(c) If apetition is filed and accepted as provided for in Article 1, commencing withSection 22–52–1.1, of Chapter 52 of Title 22, and the Pike County Judge of Probate determines that the individual needs to be detained pending a probable cause hearing, the timeallowed under Section 22–52–8 will be computed from the date of admission.(d) An attending physician, nurse practitioner, orphysician assistant and hospital providing treatment pursuant to subsection (a) shall make reasonableefforts to contact any designated emergency contact for the individual.(e) A licensedhospital r, orphysician assistant and hospital providing treatment pursuant to subsection (a) shall make reasonableefforts to contact any designated emergency contact for the individual.(e) A licensedhospital and an attending physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistantwho acts in good faith compliance with this section shall be immune from civilor criminal liability for any actions in connection with the admission of apatient to a facility or the discharge of a patient from a facility.(f) If an individual is discharged without further orders of inpatient treatment by the Pike County Judge of Probate, and that individual arrived as aresult of law enforcement intervention, the hospital shall promptly communicate this information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. A law enforcement officer from that agencyshall coordinate the immediate release of the individual from the hospital andshall release the individual from protective custody unless the law enforcementofficer from that agency has some legal cause for detaining the individualother than the individual’s mental condition.After the individual is released, and upon request of the individual, alaw enforcement officer from gency has some legal cause for detaining the individualother than the individual’s mental condition.After the individual is released, and upon request of the individual, alaw enforcement officer from that agency shall transport the individual to hisor her residence or other place of abode if it is within the county.(Act 2019–536, § 3.)
Alabama Legal Code