Section 9.21. Voluntary and informal admissions; encouragement of  


Latest version.
  • (a) It shall be the duty of all state and local officers having duties
      to perform relating to the mentally ill to encourage any person suitable
      therefor  and  in need of care and treatment for mental illness to apply
      for admission as a voluntary or informal patient.
        (b) No requirement shall be made by rule, regulation, or otherwise  as
      a  condition  to  admission  or  retention  that any person applying for
      admission shall have the legal capacity to contract.
        (c) A person requesting admission to a hospital, who is  suitable  for
      admission  on  a voluntary or informal status, shall be admitted only on
      such a voluntary or informal status. The hospital shall, in  such  case,
      have  the  discretion  to admit the person on either such status, except
      that, if the person  specifically  requests  admission  on  an  informal
      status  and  is  suitable  therefor,  he  shall be admitted only on such
      informal status.