Terms Used In Louisiana Children's Code 1466

  • Mental Health Advocacy Service: means a service established by the state of Louisiana for the purpose of providing legal counsel and representation for persons with mental disabilities and for children and to ensure that their legal rights are protected. See Louisiana Children's Code 1404
  • Patient: means any person detained and taken care of as a person with mental illness or person suffering from substance abuse. See Louisiana Children's Code 1404
  • Treatment: means an active effort to accomplish an improvement in the mental condition or behavior of a patient or to prevent deterioration in his condition or behavior. See Louisiana Children's Code 1404
  • Treatment facility: means any public or private hospital, retreat, institution, mental health center, or facility licensed by the state of Louisiana in which any mentally ill minor or minor suffering from substance abuse is received or detained as a patient except a facility under the control or supervision of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections unless otherwise provided in Title VIII of this Code. See Louisiana Children's Code 1404

A.  Each minor admitted on a voluntary basis shall be informed of any other medically appropriate alternative treatment programs and treatment facilities known to the admitting physician and be given an opportunity to seek admission to alternative treatment programs or facilities.

B.  Every minor patient admitted on a voluntary admission status shall be informed in writing at the time of admission of the procedures for requesting release from the treatment facility, the availability of counsel, information about the mental health advocacy service, the rights enumerated in Article 1409, and rules and regulations applicable to or concerning his conduct while a patient in the treatment facility.

C.  If the minor is illiterate or does not read or understand English, appropriate provisions should be made to supply him this information.

D.  In addition, a copy of the information listed in this Article must be posted in any area where minor patients are confined and treated.

Acts 1991, No. 235, §14, eff. Jan. 1, 1992.