1. The head of a private mental health facility may, and the head of a department mental health facility shall, except in the case of a medical emergency and subject to the availability of suitable programs and accommodations, accept for evaluation, on an outpatient basis if practicable, any person eighteen years of age or over who applies for his admission. The department may require that a community-based service where the person resides perform the evaluation pursuant to an affiliation agreement and contract with the department.

2. If a person is diagnosed as having a mental disorder, other than an intellectual disability or developmental disability without another accompanying mental disorder, and is determined to be in need of inpatient treatment, the person may be admitted by a private mental health facility and shall be admitted by a department mental health facility, if suitable accommodations are available, for care and treatment as an inpatient for such periods and under such conditions as authorized by law. The department may require that a community-based service where the patient resides admit the person for inpatient care and treatment pursuant to an affiliation agreement and contract with the department.

3. A person who is admitted under this section is a voluntary patient and shall have the right to consent to evaluation, care, treatment and rehabilitation and shall not be medicated without his prior voluntary and informed consent; except that medication may be given in emergency situations.