Title 19 — Health
55 chapters · 745 sections in this title.
19 V.I.C. § 831 Live births
7.5K chars
(a) The birth of each and every child born alive shall be registered as follows:(1) Within ten days after the date of each live birth, there shall be filed with the local registrar of the district in which the birth occurred a certificate of such live birth, as provided in subsec…
19 V.I.C. § 832 Child Born Out-Of-Wedlock
0.7K chars
In the case of a child born out-of-wedlock the name of the father or reputed father and information about the father shall be entered upon the birth certificate or birth record of such child only if a notarized affidavit of paternity, completed pursuant to Title 16, chapter 11, s…
19 V.I.C. § 833 Presumption of legitimacy
1.2K chars
(a) A child born to a mother who is legally married is considered legitimate unless evidence to the contrary is presented. It is presumed that the husband is the father of the child and should be so stated unless the mother gives information to the contrary or unless paternity ha…
19 V.I.C. § 834 Children of unknown parentage
0.7K chars
In the case of a newly-born, abandoned or exposed child of unknown parentage the child shall be brought to the Commissioner or his deputy, in the registration district where such newly-born, abandoned or exposed child of unknown parentage is found, who shall examine the child to …
19 V.I.C. § 835 Naming of child
0.9K chars
When any certificate of birth of a living child is presented without the statement of the given name, the local registrar shall make out and deliver to the parents of the child a special blank for the supplemental report of the given name of the child, which shall be filled out a…
19 V.I.C. § 836 Adopted children
0.7K chars
A certified decree of every adoption for every child born in the Virgin Islands shall be forwarded by the clerk of the court to the Registrar of Vital Statistics in the judicial division in which the adoption takes place. Upon receipt of the certified copy of the decree of adopti…
19 V.I.C. § 837 Delayed certificates of birth
1.1K chars
If at any time after the birth of a person a certified copy of the record of such birth should be required and after a search it appears that the birth was not registered, the Commissioner shall require the person responsible for making the declaration and presenting the certific…
19 V.I.C. § 861 Permit for burial or removal
1.2K chars
(a) The body of any person whose death occurs in the Virgin Islands, or which shall be found dead therein, shall not be interred, deposited in a vault or tomb, cremated or otherwise disposed of, or removed from or into any local registration district (or temporarily held pending …
19 V.I.C. § 862 Certificate of death
1.0K chars
(a) The certificate of death shall at least contain the items of the standard form approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States. (b) The personal and statistical particulars shall be authenticated by the signature of the informant, who may be any co…
19 V.I.C. § 863 Death without medical attendance
0.5K chars
In case of death occurring without medical attendance the personal representative, neighbor or finder of the deceased shall notify the Commissioner, or the local police official in the district, for investigation and certification. If any person shall have reason to believe that …
19 V.I.C. § 864 Repealed. July 19, 1968, No. 2318, § 4, Sess. L. 1968, Pt. II, p. 300
0.2K chars
19 V.I.C. § 864 Statutes current through Act 9046 of the 2025 session of the 36th Legislature, including all code changes through October 25, 2025 Virgin Islands Code AnnotatedCopyright © 2026 All rights reserved.
19 V.I.C. § 865 Post-mortem examination
0.6K chars
The Commissioner shall perform or cause to be performed a post-mortem examination in any case where the cause of death cannot otherwise be definitely determined or in cases where there are reasons to believe that death may have been due to a disease the knowledge of which gained …
19 V.I.C. § 866 Issuance of burial or removal permit
1.6K chars
(a) The local registrar, or his deputy, shall obtain personal and statistical particulars from the person best qualified to supply them, over the signature and address of his informant. He shall then see that the necessary medical certificate of the cause of death is properly acc…
19 V.I.C. § 867 Record of interment
1.1K chars
No person in charge of any premises on which interments are made shall inter or permit the interment or other disposition of any body unless it is accompanied by a burial permit, as provided in this subchapter. Such person shall endorse upon the permit the date of interment, over…
19 V.I.C. § 868 Foetal deaths
0.8K chars
For each foetal death a certificate of foetal death shall be filed with the local registrar in the usual form and manner. The certificate of foetal death shall be signed by the attending physician or midwife. The cause of foetal death if known and the period of uterogestation in …
19 V.I.C. § 869 Uniform Determination of death
0.6K chars
(a) This section may be cited as the Uniform Determination of Death Act. (b) An individual who has sustained either: (1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions or (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem, i…
19 V.I.C. § 870 Pronouncement of death by registered nurses and certified registered nurse practitioners; conditions
3.5K chars
(a) As used in this section:(1) “Anticipated Death” means death that is, in the opinion of the attending physician, expected due to illness, infirmity, or disease.(2) “Attending Physician” means the physician who has primary responsibility for the treatment and care of the patien…
19 V.I.C. § 891 Furnishing copy of certificate of marriage to Commissioner
1.1K chars
(a) The clerk of the Superior Court shall, on or before the 15th day of each calendar month, forward to the Commissioner, free of cost, a certified copy of each certificate of marriage filed with him during the preceding calendar month. (b) The marriage certificate shall contain …
19 V.I.C. § 892 Information in marriage certificate confidential
0.2K chars
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, information contained in certified copies of applications for marriage licenses shall be considered confidential and shall be used only for statistical purposes.
19 V.I.C. § 893 Furnishing record of decrees of divorce or annulment to Commissioner
1.4K chars
(a) The clerk of any court which issues a decree of divorce or annulment of marriage in the Virgin Islands shall forward to the Commissioner on or before the 15th day of each calendar month, free of cost, a certified copy of each decree of divorce or annulment of marriage ordered…
19 V.I.C. § 894 Information in decrees of divorce or annulment confidential
0.2K chars
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, information contained in certified copies of decrees of divorce and annulment shall be considered confidential and shall be used only for statistical purposes.
19 V.I.C. § 911 Enforcement
1.4K chars
(a) The Commissioner is charged with the thorough and efficient execution of the provisions of this chapter in every part of the Virgin Islands, and is granted supervisory powers over local registrars and deputy local registrars, to the end that all its requirements shall be unif…
19 V.I.C. § 912 Penalties; revocation of licenses
3.5K chars
(a) Whoever for himself or as an agent, officer or employee of any other person, or of any corporation or partnership, or other association of any character—(1) inters, cremates, or otherwise finally disposes of the dead body of a human being, or permits the same to be done, or r…
19 V.I.C. § 1000 Short title, policy, and purpose
2.4K chars
(a) This chapter may be cited as The Virgin Islands Behavioral Health Act. (b) This chapter is responsible for the direction of behavioral health programs in public and private facilities and for the promotion and guidance of behavioral health, both mental health and substance us…
19 V.I.C. § 1001 Definitions
40.7K chars
(1) For purposes of this chapter and related chapters, unless the context otherwise indicates:(1) “9-8-8” means the universal telephone number for the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system within the United States operating through the National Suici…
19 V.I.C. § 1002 Establishment of a Behavioral Health Treatment Facility
7.9K chars
(a) The Governor of the Virgin Islands shall establish at least one public Behavioral Health Treatment Facility in the Virgin Islands; comprising of residential treatment, transitional care, detox and day treatment services. The behavioral health treatment facility must house tho…
19 V.I.C. § 1003 Persons who may be admitted into the Behavioral Health Treatment Facility
1.2K chars
(a) All residents of the Virgin Islands may be admitted into the Behavioral Health Treatment Facility as a patient, including but not limited to:(a) Persons who have been adjudged by the Superior Court and ordered to be conveyed to the behavioral health treatment facility and who…
19 V.I.C. § 1004 Standards for public and private treatment facilities, enforcement procedures, penalties
5.7K chars
(a) The Director shall use standards established by the Joint Commission on Accreditation for approved treatment facilities that must be met for a treatment facility to be approved as a public or private treatment facility and establish the fees to be charged by the Division of B…
19 V.I.C. § 1005 Regulations
5.8K chars
(a) The Commissioner shall adopt regulations for acceptance of persons into the treatment program, considering available treatment resources and facilities, for the purpose of early and effective treatment of behavioral health challenges, mental health disorders, substance use di…
19 V.I.C. § 1006 Patients’ rights
4.7K chars
(a) Every patient in a behavioral health facility or residential care facility is entitled to exercise all civil rights, including, but not limited to, the right to civil service status, the right to vote, rights relating to the granting, renewal, forfeiture or denial of a licens…
19 V.I.C. § 1007 Funding sources
2.3K chars
(a) The Commissioner may receive and use for the purposes of community behavioral health services, for purposes of facilities for the persons with intellectual disabilities and for other purposes of this chapter, money appropriated by the Government of the Virgin Islands, grants …
19 V.I.C. § 1008 Transfer to other facilities
1.0K chars
The Commissioner may transfer, or authorize the transfer of, a patient from one hospital or facility to another within the Territory if the Commissioner determines that it would be consistent with the medical or psychiatric needs of the patient. Before a patient is transferred, t…
19 V.I.C. § 1009 Hospitalization outside of the Territory
0.4K chars
If a person ordered to be hospitalized under this chapter needs to receive hospital care or treatment by any agency or facility in the United States, the court, upon receipt of a confirmation from the agency or facility, showing what facilities are available and that the person i…
19 V.I.C. § 1010 Expense of transportation
0.5K chars
(a) The expense of conveying all indigent patients to a behavioral health hospital must be borne by the Government of the Virgin Islands and must be paid upon sworn account of the officer or person performing the service. (b) Any patient who is non-indigent and can pay for his su…
19 V.I.C. § 1011 Discharge
3.4K chars
(a) The Administrator of a behavioral health treatment facility or qualified designee or medical director of a public or private hospital, as often as practicable, but no less than every 30 days, shall examine or cause to be examined every patient to determine that patient’s stat…
19 V.I.C. § 1012 Confidentiality of records of persons
0.4K chars
The registration and other records of treatment facilities must remain confidential and are privileged to the patient except for purposes of research into the causes and treatment of behavioral, mental, and substance use disorder. Information under this subsection must not be pub…
19 V.I.C. § 1013 Prohibited acts; penalty
0.5K chars
(a) A person is guilty of causing unwarranted hospitalization as defined in section 1001(46) if the person willfully causes the unwarranted hospitalization of any person under this chapter. (b) A person is guilty of causing a denial of rights if the person willfully causes the de…
19 V.I.C. § 1014 Duties regarding behavioral health services
29.1K chars
(a) The Commissioner is responsible for providing all-inclusive services for people who suffer from behavioral health challenges or behavioral health disorders who otherwise cannot be served by the community service networks. The Department may develop contracts to deliver safety…
19 V.I.C. § 1015 Division of Behavioral Health, Mental Health, or Substance-Use Disorders; Director; bureaus; bureau Chiefs
0.6K chars
The Division of Behavioral Health is established within the Department. The Division is under the supervision of the Commissioner and headed by a Director. The Director must be a licensed medical practitioner in the field of behavioral health or mental health or a qualified profe…
19 V.I.C. § 1016 Powers of the Director
7.9K chars
(1) The Director with the advice and consent of the Commissioner shall:(1) Plan, establish and maintain treatment, education, training and prevention programs as necessary or desirable in relation to Behavioral Health, Mental Health, and Substance Use Disorder;(2) Administer or s…
19 V.I.C. § 1017 Interdepartmental Coordinating Committee
3.4K chars
(a) An Interdepartmental Coordinating Committee is established and composed of the Commissioners of Health, Education, Human Services, Police, Director of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Chair of the Virgin Islands Hospitals and Health Facilities Corporation, the Director, and oth…
19 V.I.C. § 1018 Behavioral Health Council of the Virgin Islands
7.2K chars
(a) To promote high-quality adult behavioral health services, this section establishes the Behavioral Health Council of the Virgin Islands (“the Council”) to provide an effective, independent consumer voice in an advisory capacity in the development of public policy and resource …
19 V.I.C. § 1019 Community Service Networks
8.9K chars
(a) The Commissioner of Health or the Commissioner’s designee shall establish and oversee Community Service Networks. A Community Service Network must be established on each of the three islands with the collective responsibility to coordinate and ensure continuity of care within…
19 V.I.C. § 1020 Crisis Intervention Program
18.7K chars
(a) The Director with the approval of the Commissioner shall establish Crisis Intervention and Prevention Services. This is a community-based program shall provide counseling, consultation, evaluation, treatment and referral, education, and training services, delivered by a crisi…
19 V.I.C. § 1020a 9-8-8 Trust Fund
1.3K chars
(a) The 9-8-8 Trust Fund is established as a separate and distinct non-lapsing fund in the Treasury of the Government of the Virgin Islands. The funds must be used to maintain a territory-wide 9-8-8 suicide prevention and mental health crisis system pursuant to the National Suici…
19 V.I.C. § 1021 Crisis Intervention Team established
2.6K chars
(a) The Department’s Behavioral Health Division shall establish and operate one CIT in each district, to provide crisis intervention on a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week basis to persons who suffer from behavioral health challenges or mental health disorders and to provide crisis intervent…
19 V.I.C. § 1022 Behavioral health training; purpose, training for law enforcement and education personnel
2.5K chars
(a) The purpose of this section is to provide for training of law enforcement officers, who are most often the first responders in a behavioral health emergency, to recognize the signs and symptoms of behavioral health challenges or mental health disorders and to respond more eff…
19 V.I.C. § 1023 Protective custody
2.7K chars
(a) When a law enforcement officer or crisis intervention personnel has probable cause to believe that a person may be suffering from behavioral health challenge, mental health disorder, or substance use disorder and that due to that condition the person presents a threat of harm…
19 V.I.C. § 1024a Emergency commitment
3.8K chars
(a) A treating medical practitioner, behavioral health professional, spouse, guardian, or relative of the person to be committed, or any other responsible person with personal knowledge of the person sought to be committed, may make a written application/petition under oath for e…
19 V.I.C. § 1024b Petition not required for treatment not to exceed five days
1.6K chars
(a) No petition of commitment is necessary if the person is treated and released within five days by the medical practitioner or the hospital or facility. The medical practitioner shall still treat the person, and if the medical practitioner determines that person is no longer a …