Citation Numbers: 68 Op. Att'y Gen. 97
Judges: BRONSON C. La FOLLETTE, Attorney General
Filed Date: 3/20/1979
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 4/15/2017
ROBERT P. RUSSELL, Corporation Counsel Milwaukee County
Assistant Corporation Counsel Robert A. McKnight of your office has requested my opinion on three questions relating to civil commitments under ch. 51, Stats., and protective placements under sec.
I
The first question is related to sec.
Section
Your first question is whether sec.
I am of the opinion that the provisions of sec.
That section, which is similar to sec.
A district attorney or corporation counsel may have a duty by reason of secs.
II
Your second question involves sec.
The court may order protective services under s.
55.05 (2) (d) as an alternative to placement. When ordering placement, the court, on the basis of the evaluation and other relevant evidence shall order placement through the appropriate board *Page 99 designated under s.55.02 or an agency designated by it. Placement shall be made in the least restrictive environment consistent with the needs of the person to be placed. Factors to be considered in making protective placement shall include the needs of the person to be protected for health, social or rehabilitative services and the level of supervision needed. Placement under this section does not replace commitment of a person in need of acute psychiatric treatment under s.51.20 or51.45 (13). Placement may be made to such facilities as nursing homes, public medical institutions, centers for the developmentally disabled, foster care services and other home placements, or to other appropriate facilities but may not be made to units for the acutely mentally ill. The prohibition of placements in units for the acutely mentally ill does not prevent placement by a court for short-term diagnostic procedures under par. (d). Placement in a locked unit shall require a specific finding of the court as to the need for such action. A placement facility may transfer a patient from a locked unit to a less restrictive environment without court approval.
You state that you are often faced with a situation wherein a person is an appropriate subject for guardianship or prospective placement, but due to the peculiar needs of the individual, an appropriate facility is unavailable at the time of the final hearing.
You inquire:
Under sec.
55.06 (9)(a), Stats., and especially the second sentence thereof, "is it appropriate for the court to order placement to the local board or agency while a facility is being sought?"
You state that you "believe the intent of the law is to present to the court all the information necessary to permit the court to reach a determination as to the type of facility and level ofservicesr required for the individual and that the court is thento order the agency or board to provide what has been ordered as soon as possible." (Emphasis added.)
I am of the opinion that the answer to your question is no. The statute does not contemplate placement "to" a board designated under sec.
After initial placement by the court, the "guardian or placement facility" may transfer the ward between placement units or to a medical facility without prior court approval. Where transfer is to a more restrictive placement, prior court approval is needed in certain cases. See sec.
III
Your third question is:
May a detention order issue under s.
51.20 (2) against a person who is a voluntary inpatient at a mental health facility at the time a three-party petition is filed, if the petition alleges all of the information required under s.51.20 (1), and if the "individual presents a substantial risk of serious physical harm to himself or herself or to others based on information regarding recent overt acts, attempts or threats to inflict such harm to the subject individual or to others"?
I am of the opinion that it can.
The legislative intent of ch. 51, Stats., includes the proposition that there be provision for a full range of treatment and rehabilitation services and that the least restrictive treatment alternatives are to be utilized. See sec.
Provisions of the statute provide for outpatient treatment and for voluntary admissions for treatment.
All of this does not mean, however, that there may not be need for involuntary commitment of a person who has been voluntarily admitted to some facility for treatment. I agree with the position taken by your office. If the petition demonstrates facts sufficient to warrant *Page 101 the issuance of a detention order, the fact that the subject individual has voluntarily entered a mental health facility does not prevent the court from issuing a detention order, appointing counsel and immediately scheduling a probable cause hearing.
This conclusion is in part based upon sec.
BCL:RJV