(a) The director of a state mental health facility or designated mental health facility to which a respondent is currently committed for inpatient treatment, not later than 30 days prior to the expiration of the current commitment order, shall assess the appropriateness of transferring the respondent to outpatient treatment as the least restrictive alternative necessary and available for the treatment of the respondent’s mental illness or mental illness with a secondary diagnosis of co-occurring substance use disorder. The director may recommend to the judge of probate in writing that the order be modified to commit the respondent to outpatient treatment. (b) A recommendation under subsection (a) shall do both of the following: (1) State the grounds for the director’s determination that outpatient treatment is the least restrictive alternative necessary and available for the treatment of the respondent’s mental illness or mental illness with a secondary diagnosis of co-occurring substance use disorder . (2) Identify the designated mental health facility to which the director recommends that the respondent be committed for outpatient treatment. (c) Notice of the recommendation under subsection (a) shall be provided to both of the following: (1) The respondent. (2) The director of the designated mental health facility identified under subsection (b), unless the director is the individual making the recommendation. (d) Upon request of the respondent or any other interested party, the judge of probate shall hold a hearing on the recommendation. The judge of probate shall appoint an attorney to represent the respondent at the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Section 22-52-9. (e) If a hearing is not requested, the judge of probate may make a decision regarding the facility director’s recommendation based upon both of the following: (1) The grounds stated in the recommendation. (2) Consultation with the director of the designated mental health facility, or his or her designee, concerning the availability of resources to treat the respondent as an outpatient. (f) If the judge of probate modifies the order, the modified order shall conform to all requirements of an original commitment to outpatient treatment under Section 22-52-10.3, except that the modified order may not extend beyond the term of the original order by more than 60 days.
‹ Prev All Alabama sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.