(A) The individualized plan of treatment must be reviewed every thirty days by the multi-disciplinary team during the first two months of inpatient treatment. After two months of inpatient treatment, the plan must be reviewed every sixty days, except in long-term nursing care facilities the plan must be reviewed every ninety days. This section does not prohibit review of the plan on a more frequent basis.

(B) After review by the attending physician or multi-disciplinary team, if the results of the examination determine the conditions justifying confinement no longer exist, a notice of intent to discharge must be made immediately to the probate judge having jurisdiction. Notice must be given before discharge to a person who has made a written request to be notified.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 44-22-70

  • Court: means probate court. See South Carolina Code 44-22-10
  • Department: means the State Department of Mental Health. See South Carolina Code 44-22-10
  • Facility: means a residential program operated by the department. See South Carolina Code 44-22-10
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Multi-disciplinary team: means persons drawn from or representing the professional disciplines or service areas included in the treatment plan. See South Carolina Code 44-22-10
  • Patient: means an individual undergoing treatment in the department; however, the term does not include a person committed to the department pursuant to Chapter 48 of Title 44. See South Carolina Code 44-22-10
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Treatment: means the attempted correction or facilitation of a mental illness or alcohol and drug abuse. See South Carolina Code 44-22-10

(C) For patients committed after a hearing by the probate court for the involuntary inpatient treatment for mental illness or chemical dependency, an appropriate and comprehensive discharge plan must be developed. Planning for a patient‘s discharge must begin within seventy-two hours of admission, must include input from the patient, and must address community treatment, financial resources, and housing. The facility and community treatment staff must be involved in developing the discharge plan. Representatives of all entities which provide services pursuant to the plan must be consulted and informed about the plan. Based on available resources, the department shall make every effort to implement the discharge plan when the patient, in the opinion of the multi-disciplinary team, is ready for discharge.