AB 681

Under current law, the procedure to commit a person involuntarily to a mental

health facility begins by filing a petition alleging that the person is mentally ill, drug

dependent, or developmentally disabled, is a proper subject for treatment, and is

dangerous. If these allegations are proven, the person may initially be committed

for treatment for a period not to exceed six months, and any consecutive commitment

order may not exceed 12 months.

In addition, a procedure to commit an inmate of a prison may begin under an

alternative petition, which must allege all of the following: 1) that the inmate is

mentally ill, is a proper subject for treatment, and is in need of treatment; 2) that the

inmate is informed about his treatment needs; and 3) that less restrictive forms of

treatment have been unsuccessful. If these allegations are proven, the inmate may

be committed under this alternative petition for not more than 180 days in a 365-day

period.

Under this bill, under the alternative petition, an inmate of a prison may

initially be committed for treatment for a period not to exceed six months, and any

consecutive commitment order may not exceed 12 months.

Current law also contains a provision describing an alternative petition

procedure for committing an inmate of a jail or house of corrections, but this

provision does not apply to petitions filed after July 1, 1990. This bill repeals this

provision.