(1) When a police officer has reasonable cause to believe that a juvenile has committed acts constituting a nonfelony crime that is not a serious offense as identified in RCW 10.77.092, and the officer believes that the juvenile suffers from a mental disorder, and the local prosecutor has entered into an agreement with law enforcement regarding the detention of juveniles who may have a mental disorder or may be suffering from chemical dependency, the arresting officer, instead of taking the juvenile to the local juvenile detention facility, may take the juvenile to: (a) An evaluation and treatment facility as defined in RCW 71.34.020 if the juvenile suffers from a mental disorder and the facility has been identified as an alternative location by agreement of the prosecutor, law enforcement, and the mental health provider; (b) A facility or program identified by agreement of the prosecutor and law enforcement; or (c) A location already identified and in use by law enforcement for the purpose of a behavioral health diversion. (2) For the purposes of this section, an "alternative location" means a facility or program that has the capacity to evaluate a youth and, if determined to be appropriate, develop a behavioral health intervention plan and initiate treatment. (3) If a juvenile is taken to any location described in subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this section, the juvenile may be held for up to twelve hours and must be examined by a mental health or substance use disorder professional within three hours of arrival. (4) The authority provided pursuant to this section is in addition to existing authority under RCW 10.31.110 and * 10.31.120. [ 2019 c 444 s 10; 2014 c 128 s 4; 2013 c 179 s 2.]
‹ Prev All Washington 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.