960                               Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 345

(f)    "Mental disorder" means mental illness [or mental retarda-
tion] or any other form of behavioral or emotional illness resulting
from any psychiatric or neurological disorder. The term shall wot in-
clude mental retardation.

(g)    "Mental illness" means any mental disorder [, other than
mental retardation,] which so substantially impairs the mental or
emotional functioning of an individual as to make it necessary or
advisable for the welfare of the person so suffering or for the safety
of the persons or property of others that the mentally ill person re-
ceive care and treatment. The term shall replace the words "insane,"
"insanity," "lunacy," "mentally sick," "mental disease," "unsound
mind" and similar words as they appear in the statutes of the State
of Maryland [but does not include mental retardation].

[(h) "Mental retardation" means a degree of subnormality of
intellectual development expected to be of life duration which reduces
the individual's capability to manage himself or his affairs. The term
shall replace the terms "defective," "mental defective," "idiot,"
"feebleminded" and "moron" as they may appear in the statutes
of the State of Maryland.]

[(i)] (h) "Psychiatrist" shall mean any person licensed to
practice medicine in the State of Maryland who devotes a substantial
proportion of his time to the practice of psychiatry.

[(j)] (i) "Physician" shall mean any person licensed by the
State of Maryland to practice medicine in the State.

[(k)] (j) "Release" shall mean any discharge, parole or other
departure from a facility or a Veterans' Administration hospital; by
and with the consent of someone haying authority to consent to such
departure; of any patient of such facility or Veterans' Administration
hospital whether on a permanent or temporary, absolute or condi-
tional basis.

[(1)] (k) "Responsible relative" means, for the purpose of re-
imbursement, cost of care and treatment, the spouse of a patient, par-
ent or parents of a child or children under the age of 21 years, or a
child or children of patients receiving care and treatment in public
facilities. No liability shall be imposed by this definition on the spouse
or child of any patient who has been abandoned by that patient.
Abandonment as used herein shall be defined by the Department of
Mental Hygiene in accordance with the Administrative Procedure
Act.

[(m)] (l) "Secretary" shall mean the Secretary of Health and
Mental Hygiene of the State of Maryland.

[(n)] (m) "Treatment" means any process by which profes-
sional care or attention is given to any patient in a facility with the
end in mind to either improve or prevent the worsening of any men-
tal disorder.

22.

(a) As used in this subtitle, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated unless a contrary meaning is clearly intended
from the context in which the term appears.