Bill > AB416

This bill amends California's Lanterman-Petris-Short Act to expand the list of professionals who can take a person into custody for involuntary mental health evaluation and treatment. Specifically, the bill adds emergency physicians to the existing list of authorized individuals, which previously included peace officers, mobile crisis team members, and other designated professionals. Under the bill, emergency physicians can now take a person into custody for up to 72 hours if, as a result of a mental health disorder, the person is deemed a danger to themselves or others, or is gravely disabled. The bill requires county behavioral health directors to include emergency physicians as eligible professionals when developing procedures for designating and training individuals who can perform these functions. Additionally, the bill provides liability protection for emergency physicians who detain a person under these provisions, similar to the protections already afforded to other professionals. An emergency physician is defined as a physician and surgeon who provides medical screening and treatment in the emergency department of a general acute care hospital and has completed the county's required training and approval processes. The bill aims to broaden the options for mental health intervention and provide more flexibility in addressing urgent mental health situations.

Health and Social Services, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB416