1960

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 700

Article, it shall treat the petition as if it were a
petition for an order for emergency protective services
under that section and shall conduct the proceedings and
make findings in accordance with that section. TRANSPORTED

BY AMBULANCE OR OTHER EMERGENCY VEHICLE TO THE CLOSEST

DESIGNATED EMERGENCY FACILITY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A PEACE

OFFICER IF NECESSARY. IT IS NOT THE DUTY OF THE PEACE

OFFICER TO ASSIST AFTER THE ASSUMPTION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR
AN EMERGENCY ADMITTEE BY A HOSPITAL, UNLESS A PHYSICIAN AT

THE FACILITY REQUESTS THE OFFICER IN WRITING TO CONTINUE HIS

ASSISTANCE.

(e) Within six hours after being taken into custody
and transported to an emergency facility the emergency
admittee shall be examined by a physician to determine
whether the emergency admittee meets the criteria necessary
for an [emergency] INVOLUNTARY admission PURSUANT TO § 12 OF
THIS ARTICLE. [This criteria is that the emergency admittee
has the symptoms of a mental disorder and the appearance of
being in clear and imminent danger of causing grave and
immediate personal harm to himself or others. If the
physician determines that the emergency admittee meets this
criteria the physician shall so indicate on the petition and
the emergency admittee shall immediately be admitted to the
emergency facility for the purposes of emergency care and
treatment. The examining physician or his designee shall
give notice of the examination, the emergency admittee's
present and potential status, and whereabouts to the
petitioner, and to the nearest relative or interested person
shown on the petition, and to the emergency admittee's
attorney, if any. If the examining physician finds that the
emergency admittee does not meet the criteria, the physician
shall so indicate in writing on the petition and the
emergency admittee must be released from custody forthwith,
unless the physician finds that the emergency admittee meets
the criteria for involuntary admission pursuant to Section
12 of this article.] If the examining physician finds that
the emergency admittee meets the criteria for involuntary
admission AND IS UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO BE A VOLUNTARY
PATIENT, the physician shall take the necessary steps to
have the emergency admittee admitted to an appropriate
facility pursuant to Section 12.          AN APPROPRIATE FACILITY

INCLUDES A GENERAL HOSPITAL WITH LICENSED INPATIENT

PSYCHIATRIC UNITS.

(f) Upon receipt of a judicially endorsed petition
under subsection (c), or a petition under subsection (d),

the peace officer shall take the emergency admittee into

custody and transport him, without a warrant, to an

emergency facility preferably in the county or City of

Baltimore wherever the emergency admittee is found at the

time. The peace officer shall not be responsible for the

custody of the emergency admitted once the emergency

admittee has been transported to the emergency facility and

custody of the emergency admittee has been assumed by the
emergency facility. Whenever an emergency admittee is
released from an emergency facility and desires