§334-60.3 Initiation of proceeding for involuntary hospitalization. (a) Any person may file a petition alleging that a person located in the county meets the criteria for commitment to a psychiatric facility. The petition shall be executed subject to the penalties of perjury but need not be sworn to before a notary public. The attorney general, the attorney general's deputy, special deputy, or appointee designated to present the case shall assist the petitioner to state the substance of the petition in plain and simple language. The petition may be accompanied by a certificate of the licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or psychologist who has examined the person within two days before submission of the petition, unless the person whose commitment is sought has refused to submit to medical or psychological examination, in which case the fact of refusal shall be alleged in the petition. The certificate shall set forth the signs and symptoms relied upon by the physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or psychologist to determine the person is in need of care or treatment, or both, and whether the person is capable of realizing and making a rational decision with respect to the person's need for treatment. If the petitioner believes that further evaluation is necessary before commitment, the petitioner may request such further evaluation.
(b) In the event the subject of the petition has been given an examination, evaluation, or treatment in a psychiatric facility within five days before submission of the petition, and hospitalization is recommended by the staff of the facility, the petition may be accompanied by the administrator's certificate in lieu of a physician's or psychologist's certificate.
(c) The petition shall include the name, address, and telephone number of at least one of the following persons in the following order of priority: the subject of the petition's spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, legal parents, adult children, and legal guardian, if one has been appointed. If the subject of the petition has no living spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, legal parent, adult children, or legal guardian, or if none can be found, notice shall be served on at least one of the subject's closest adult relatives, if any can be found. [L 1984, c 188, pt of §3; gen ch 1985; am L 1994, c 58, §2; am L 2015, c 27, §3; am L 2018, c 144, §3]