Title 24, Hospitals and AsylumsRelease 119-110

§325 Examination of Persons Admitted

Title 24 › CHAPTER 9 — HOSPITALIZATION OF MENTALLY ILL NATIONALS RETURNED FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES › § 325

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

If someone is admitted to a hospital under this law, hospital medical staff must examine them as soon as possible and no later than five days after admission. If the exam shows they do not need hospital care for mental illness, they must be discharged. If they do need care, they must be examined again as often as needed but at least every six months. When the reasons for hospitalization end, they must be discharged or, if that is in the patient’s best interest, released with conditions. The hospital must immediately tell the person’s legal guardian, spouse, or next of kin if that person is known.

Full Legal Text

Title 24, §325

Hospitals and Asylums, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Time and frequency of examination; discharge

Any person admitted to any hospital pursuant to section 322 or section 324 of this title shall, as soon as practicable, but in no event more than five days after the day of such admission, be examined by qualified members of the medical staff of the hospital and, unless found to be in need of hospitalization by reason of mental illness, shall be discharged. Any person found upon such examination to be in need of such hospitalization shall thereafter, as frequently as practicable but not less often than every six months, be reexamined and shall, whenever it is determined that the conditions justifying such hospitalization no longer obtain, be discharged or, if found to be in the best interests of the patient, be conditionally released.

(b)Notice to legal guardian, etc.

Whenever any person is admitted to a hospital pursuant to this chapter, his legal guardian, spouse, or next of kin shall, if known, be immediately notified.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

24 U.S.C. § 325

Title 24, Hospitals and Asylums

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110