Title 17a, Title 17a: Social and Human Services and Resources

Sec. 17a-506a. Voluntary admissions. Commitments under an emergency certificate. Notification of commissioner. Maintenance of identifying information. Whenever a person is voluntarily admitted or committed under an emergency certificate pursuant to section 17a-502 to a hospital f…

Sec. 17a-507. (Formerly Sec. 17-187a). Admission to general hospital having psychiatric facilities. (a) Any general hospital having psychiatric facilities for care of inpatients may admit any person for observation and treatment without formal or written application if such hospi…

Sec. 17a-508. (Formerly Sec. 17-188). Commitment after expiration of specified period. If any person who has been confined in any state hospital for psychiatric disabilities for a specified period of time pursuant to the order of any court has psychiatric disabilities at the expi…

Sec. 17a-509. (Formerly Sec. 17-191). Placement of persons with psychiatric disabilities in residential care homes or chronic and convalescent hospitals. The superintendent or director of any state-operated facility, as defined in subsection (c) of section 17a-458, may place any …

Sec. 17a-510. (Formerly Sec. 17-192). Release or transfer; procedure. (a) Any person who is a patient in a hospital for psychiatric disabilities upon the order of any Probate Court, or his or her representative, may make application to the Probate Court for the district in which …

Sec. 17a-511. (Formerly Sec. 17-193). Transfer of patients by agreement. (a) Any person who has been committed by any court to a hospital for psychiatric disabilities may be transferred to any other hospital for psychiatric disabilities upon agreement of the superintendents of th…

Sec. 17a-512. (Formerly Sec. 17-194b). Definitions. As used in sections 17a-499, 17a-509, 17a-512 to 17a-517, inclusive, 17a-520 and 17a-521, “hospital” means a hospital for psychiatric disabilities or a mental hospital or institution which is administered by the Department of Me…

Sec. 17a-513. (Formerly Sec. 17-194c). Voluntary admission of inmates of correctional institutions in hospital for psychiatric disabilities. The provisions of subsection (a) of section 17a-506 shall apply to any person who is in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction provi…

Sec. 17a-514. (Formerly Sec. 17-194d). Emergency confinement in hospital for psychiatric disabilities of inmates of correctional institutions. Any person who is in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction who has suddenly become in need of care and treatment in a hospital fo…

Sec. 17a-515. (Formerly Sec. 17-194e). Commitment proceedings for inmates of correctional institutions to hospitals for psychiatric disabilities. The provisions of section 17a-498 shall apply to any person regarding whom proceedings for commitment are being instituted under secti…

Sec. 17a-516. (Formerly Sec. 17-194f). Discharge from hospital of inmates of correctional institutions. The provisions of section 17a-510 shall apply to any person committed to such hospital pursuant to sections 17a-514 and 17a-515, except that upon such discharge (1) the person …

Sec. 17a-517. (Formerly Sec. 17-194g). Hospitalization of individual with psychiatric disability in Whiting Forensic Hospital. Exception. Limitation of placement of inmate requiring maximum security conditions. Any person in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction who is br…

Sec. 17a-518. (Formerly Sec. 17-195). Transportation expense from community correctional centers to hospital and vice versa. There shall be allowed and paid by the state for transporting any person from a community correctional center to any state hospital, or returning any perso…

Sec. 17a-519. (Formerly Sec. 17-196). Fees, compensation and costs. Each officer or indifferent person making legal service of any order, notice, warrant or other paper under the provisions of sections 17a-75 to 17a-83, inclusive, 17a-450 to 17a-483, inclusive, 17a-495 to 17a-528…

Sec. 17a-520. (Formerly Sec. 17-197). Commitment at expiration of term of imprisonment. When any person has been transferred from any correctional institution to a state hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities and is confined in such hospital at the time of the expirat…

Sec. 17a-521. (Formerly Sec. 17-198). Temporary leaves from institution. Return or recall of patient. Exception. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the superintendent of any institution used wholly or in part for the care of persons with psychiatric disabilities or the…

Sec. 17a-522. (Formerly Sec. 17-199). Recommitment of escaped persons. The name of any person who has escaped from any institution for persons with psychiatric disabilities and has not been returned to such institution within one year thereafter shall be stricken from the records…

Sec. 17a-523. (Formerly Sec. 17-200). Commission to inquire whether person is wrongly confined. Any judge of the Superior Court, on information to him that any person is unjustly deprived of his liberty by being detained or confined in any hospital for psychiatric disabilities, o…

Sec. 17a-524. (Formerly Sec. 17-201). Writ of habeas corpus. Each person confined in a hospital for psychiatric disabilities in this state shall be entitled to the benefit of the writ of habeas corpus, and the question of the legality of such confinement in a hospital for psychia…

Sec. 17a-525. (Formerly Sec. 17-202). Appeal. Any person aggrieved by an order, denial or decree of a Probate Court under sections 17a-75 to 17a-83, inclusive, 17a-450 to 17a-483, inclusive, 17a-495 to 17a-528, inclusive, 17a-540 to 17a-550, inclusive, 17a-560 to 17a-575, inclusi…

Sec. 17a-526. (Formerly Sec. 17-203). Commitment suspended on bond for confinement. The Court of Probate, before or pending or in the absence of an appeal, and the Superior Court, after finding on an appeal that such person has psychiatric disabilities, may, in its discretion, su…

Sec. 17a-527. (Formerly Sec. 17-204). Court may direct as to care of mentally ill pending appeal. Pending an appeal to the Superior Court, said court or, if said court is not in session, any judge of the Superior Court, may make and enforce such reasonable orders for the care and…

Sec. 17a-528. (Formerly Sec. 17-205a). Payment of commitment and transportation expenses. (a) When any person is found to have psychiatric disabilities, and is committed to a state hospital for psychiatric disabilities, upon proceedings had under sections 17a-75 to 17a-83, inclus…

Secs. 17a-529 to 17a-539. Reserved for future use. PART III* PATIENTS' RIGHTS *Annotation to former part Ib of chapter 306: Secs. 17-206a–17-206k cited. 213 C. 548. Annotation to present part: Cited. 233 C. 44.

Sec. 17a-540. (Formerly Sec. 17-206a). Definitions. As used in sections 17a-540 to 17a-550, inclusive, unless otherwise expressly stated or unless the context otherwise requires: (1) “Facility” means any inpatient or outpatient hospital, clinic or other facility for the diagnosis…

Sec. 17a-541. (Formerly Sec. 17-206b). Deprivation of rights of patient prohibited. Exception. No patient hospitalized or treated in any public or private facility for the treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities shall be deprived of any personal, property or civil righ…

Sec. 17a-542. (Formerly Sec. 17-206c). Humane and dignified treatment required. Formulation of discharge plan. Every patient treated in any facility for treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities shall receive humane and dignified treatment at all times, with full respect…

Sec. 17a-543. (Formerly Sec. 17-206d). Procedures governing medication, treatment, psychosurgery and shock therapy. (a) No patient shall receive medication for the treatment of the psychiatric disabilities of such patient without the informed consent of such patient, except in ac…

Sec. 17a-543a. Administration of medication to criminal defendant placed in custody of Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Special limited conservator. (a)(1)(A) If it is determined by the head of the hospital and two qualified physicians that a patient who is a…

Sec. 17a-544. (Formerly Sec. 17-206e). Placement of patient in seclusion or mechanical restraint. Medication not to be used as substitute for habilitation. (a) No patient may be placed involuntarily in seclusion or a mechanical restraint unless necessary because there is imminent…

Sec. 17a-545. (Formerly Sec. 17-206f). Physical and psychiatric examinations. Every patient hospitalized under any of sections 17a-540 to 17a-550, inclusive, shall receive a physical examination within five days of his hospitalization, and at least once each year thereafter. Ever…

Sec. 17a-546. (Formerly Sec. 17-206g). Communication by mail and telephone. (a) Every patient shall be permitted to communicate by sealed mail with any individual, group or agency, except as provided in this section. (b) Every hospital for treatment of persons with psychiatric di…

Sec. 17a-547. (Formerly Sec. 17-206h). Visitors. Restrictions on mail, telephone and visitor privileges, when allowed. (a) Every patient shall be permitted to receive visitors at regular visiting hours, except as herein provided. The head of the hospital shall: (1) Establish visi…

Sec. 17a-548. (Formerly Sec. 17-206i). Patient's rights re clothing, possessions, money and access to records. List of rights to be posted. (a) Any patient shall be permitted to wear his or her own clothes; to keep and use personal possessions including toilet articles; to be pre…

Sec. 17a-549. (Formerly Sec. 17-206j). Denial of employment, housing, licenses, because of history of mental disorder restricted. (a) No person shall be denied employment, housing, civil service rank, any license or permit, including a professional license, or any other civil or …

Sec. 17a-550. (Formerly Sec. 17-206k). Remedies of aggrieved persons. Any person aggrieved by a violation of sections 17a-540 to 17a-549, inclusive, may petition the superior court within whose jurisdiction the person is or resides for appropriate relief, including temporary and …

Secs. 17a-551 to 17a-559. Reserved for future use. PART IV WHITING FORENSIC HOSPITAL

Sec. 17a-560. (Formerly Sec. 17-238). Definitions. As used in sections 17a-560 to 17a-575, inclusive, unless specifically provided otherwise, “hospital” means the Whiting Forensic Hospital, including the diagnostic unit established under the provisions of section 17a-562, or any …

Sec. 17a-560a. Whiting Forensic Division of Connecticut Valley Hospital substituted for Whiting Forensic Institute. Section 17a-560a is repealed, effective June 4, 2018. (P.A. 95-257, S. 20, 58; P.A. 18-86, S. 54.)

Sec. 17a-561. (Formerly Sec. 17-239). Persons to be treated at Whiting Forensic Hospital. The Whiting Forensic Hospital shall exist for the care and treatment of (1) patients with psychiatric disabilities, confined in facilities under the control of the Department of Mental Healt…

Sec. 17a-562. (Formerly Sec. 17-240). Whiting Forensic Hospital under control and supervision of Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The Whiting Forensic Hospital shall be within the general administrative control and supervision of the Department of Mental Health…

Sec. 17a-563. (Formerly Sec. 17-242). Appointment of staff. The director shall appoint, subject to chapter 67 and with the approval of the advisory and review board, adequate staff including psychiatrists, certified psychologists, social workers, a dentist and such other professi…

Sec. 17a-564. (Formerly Sec. 17-242a). Director to make report to board. The director of the Whiting Forensic Hospital shall quarterly make a report to the Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services on the affairs of the hospital, including reports of reexaminations and recomm…

Sec. 17a-565. (Formerly Sec. 17-243). Replacement of advisory board with oversight board. Functions. Investigative reports. Reporting. (a)(1) On and before September 30, 2022, there shall be an advisory board for Whiting Forensic Hospital, constituted as follows: The Commissioner…

Sec. 17a-566. (Formerly Sec. 17-244). Certain convicted persons to be examined. Report and recommendation. (a) Except as provided in section 17a-574, any court prior to sentencing a person convicted of an offense for which the penalty may be imprisonment in any correctional insti…

Sec. 17a-567. (Formerly Sec. 17-245). Disposition of defendant after report. (a) If the report recommends that the defendant be sentenced in accordance with the conviction, placed on probation by the court or placed on probation by the court with the requirement, as a condition o…