73-515a. Eligibility for care or treatment by veterans' administration or federal agency; order; notice; court jurisdiction.
Whenever, in any proceeding under the laws of this state a proposed patient is determined to be a mentally ill person and is in need of care or treatment at a psychiatric hospital and it appears that such person is eligible for care or treatment by the veterans' administration or other agency of the United States government, the court, upon receipt of a certificate from the veterans' administration or such other agency showing that facilities are available and that such person is eligible for care or treatment therein, may order such person to said veterans' administration or other agency.
The proposed patient shall be personally served with notice of the pending proceeding to determine a mentally ill person in the manner as provided by the law of this state; and nothing in this act shall affect his right to appear and be heard in the proceedings. Upon being ordered for care or treatment, such person, when admitted to any facility operated by any such agency within or without this state shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the veterans' administration or other agency. The chief officer of any facility of the veterans' administration or institution operated by any other agency of the United States to which the person is so ordered for care or treatment shall with respect to such person be vested with the same powers as superintendents of state psychiatric hospitals within this state with respect to retention of custody, transfer, convalescent leave or discharge.
Jurisdiction is retained in the court having venue of such proceedings at any time to inquire into the mental condition of the person so ordered for care or treatment, and to determine the necessity for continuance of his restraint, and all orders for care or treatment pursuant to this act are so conditioned.
History: L. 1949, ch. 402, § 1; L. 1965, ch. 433, § 14; Jan. 1, 1966.