HARRY HUGHES, Governor

1957

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.

(1)   "Emergency admissions" shall mean that
process by which an emergency admittee is admitted on an
emergency basis to an emergency facility as defined herein.

(2)   "Emergency treatment" means the treatment of
an emergency admittee under the provisions of this subtitle.

(3)   "Emergency facility" shall mean any facility
designated in writing by the Department of HEALTH AND Mental
Hygiene as an emergency facility, AND SHALL INCLUDE ALL
GENERAL HOSPITALS WITH LICENSED EMERGENCY ROOMS UNLESS
EXEMPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE LOCAL
HEALTH OFFICER.

(4)   "Mental disorder" means the behavioral and
other symptoms which to lay petitioner initiating the
emergency admission process indicate a clear disturbance in
the mental functioning of another person, and to a physician
conducting an examination indicate one or more of the mental
disorders described in the "Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual-Mental Disorders" published periodically by the
American Psychiatric Association. The term shall not
include mental retardation.

(5)   "Peace officer" means a sheriff. State
police officer, municipal or other local police officer.

(6)   "Emergency admittee" means a person who is
proposed for admission to an emergency facility, or a person
who has been admitted to an emergency facility pursuant to
this section.

(B)  (1) Any interested person who has reason to
believe that a person is mentally disordered and is in clear
and imminent danger of causing grave and immediate personal
injury to himself or others may complete, sign, and file a
petition for the emergency admission of such person with a
peace officer. Any interested person who signs and files
this petition is hereinafter referred to as the petitioner.

(2) The petition shall include the following:

(i) The petitioner's name, address, and
home and work telephone numbers;

(ii) The name and a description of the
emergency admittee, and if available the emergency
admittee's address, and the names and addresses of the
emergency admittee's spouse, children, parents or relatives,