364                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 202

Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition and 1962 Supplement),
title "Governor—Executive and Administrative Departments," to
follow immediately after Section 318 thereof, and to be under the
new subtitle "Interstate Compact on Mental Health," to read as
follows:

319. Interstate Compact on Mental Health

The Interstate Compact on Mental Health is enacted into law and
entered into by this state with all other states legally joining therein
in the form substantially as follows:

TEXT OF THE INTERSTATE COMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH
320. "The contracting states solemnly agree that:

Article I
321.

"The party states find that the proper and expeditious treat-
ment of the mentally ill and mentally deficient can be facilitated by
cooperative action, to the benefit of the patients, their families, and
society as a whole. Further, the party states find that the necessity of
and desirability for furnishing such care and treatment bear no
primary relation to the residence or citizenship of the patient but
that, on the contrary, the controlling factors of community safety
and humanitarianism require that facilities and services be made
available for all who are in need of them. Consequently, it is the
purpose of this compact and of the party states to provide the neces-
sary legal basis for the institutionalization or other appropriate care
and treatment of the mentally ill and mentally deficient under a
system that recognizes the paramount importance of patient welfare
and to establish the responsibilities of the party states in terms of
such welfare.

Article II
322. "As used in this compact:

(1)  "Sending state" shall mean a party state from which a patient
is transported pursuant to the provisions of the compact or from
which it is contemplated that a patient may be so sent.

(2)  "Receiving state" shall mean a party state to which a patient
is transported pursuant to the provisions of the compact or to which
it is contemplated that a patient may be so sent.

(3)   "Institution" shall mean any hospital or other facility main-
tained by a party state or political subdivision thereof for the care
and treatment of mental illness or mental deficiency.

(4) "Patient" shall mean any person subject to or eligible as de-
termined by the laws of the sending state, for institutionalization or
other care, treatment, or supervision pursuant to the provisions of
this compact.

(5)   "After-care" shall mean care, treatment and services provided
a patient, as defined herein, on convalescent status or conditional
release.

(6)  "Mental illness" shall mean mental disease to such extent that
a person so afflicted requires care and treatment for his own welfare,
or the welfare of others, or of the community.