The governing authorities of any institution of this State, including but not limited to those facilities maintained by the Department of Correction, to which an adult or juvenile who is nonamenable to the processes of Family Court who classifies for admission under the terms of this subchapter already has been committed may request an order to temporarily remove an inmate of the institution to the department for persons with criminally mental conditions at the Delaware Psychiatric Center or other authorized institutions for suitable for nonamenable juveniles as follows:

(1) By petition to any court of competent jurisdiction in the State; or

(2) In the case of any individual within the custody of the Department of Correction, by certification of the Commissioner of Correction, Bureau Chief of Prisons, Bureau Chief of Community Correction, or Director of Healthcare Services, that:

a. The inmate or offender is currently suffering from a mental disease or condition which requires such person to be observed and treated at a mental hospital for the person’s own welfare and which both:

1. Renders such person unable to make responsible decisions with respect to the person’s health; and

2. Poses a real and present threat, based upon manifest indications, that such person is likely to commit or suffer serious harm to that person’s own self or others or to property if not given immediate hospital care and treatment;

b. The inmate or offender is currently recommended by correctional medical staff for immediate or emergent psychiatric care or stabilization;

c. That the Department of Correction cannot provide the level of care required to treat the inmate or offender; and

d. The inmate or offender has received all of the process due to the inmate or offender under the Department of Correction policies and/or procedures.

(3) Upon receipt of any inmate or offender into the department for persons with criminally mental conditions by the process stated herein, the inmate or offender shall be treated as a provisional admittee and may only be housed at the location designated for the housing of persons with criminally mental conditions. The Department of Health and Social Services shall proceed under Chapter 50 of this title with respect to any decision to commit offenders transferred from the Department of Correction on an emergency basis.

Code 1935, c. 76; 46 Del. Laws, c. 190, § ?3; 16 Del. C. 1953, § ?5153; 49 Del. Laws, c. 57, § ?1; 57 Del. Laws, c. 591, § ?25; 66 Del. Laws, c. 424, § ?10; 70 Del. Laws, c. 550, § ?1; 76 Del. Laws, c. 322, § ?13; 78 Del. Laws, c. 179, §§ ?197, 198;

Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 16 Sec. 5153

  • Department: means the Department of Health and Social Services except that Department means the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families in the context of a treatment facility serving minors. See Delaware Code Title 16 Sec. 5181
  • Director: means the Director of the Division of Public Health, or such persons as may be designated by the Director. See Delaware Code Title 16 Sec. 101
  • 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.
  • mental hospital: as used in this chapter , shall mean the Delaware Psychiatric Center or such other hospital in this State which is certified by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services as being an appropriate facility for the diagnosis, care and treatment of mentally ill persons 18 years of age or older. See Delaware Code Title 16 Sec. 5101
  • State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302