ARTICLE 4.5. Additional Intensive Treatment of Suicidal Persons [5260. - 5268.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 4.5.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5260. Section 5260.

At the expiration of the 14-day period of intensive treatment any person who, as a result of mental disorder or impairment by chronic alcoholism, during the 14-day period or the 72-hour evaluation period, threatened or attempted to take his or her own life or who was detained for evaluation and treatment because he or she threatened or attempted to take his or her own life and who continues to present an imminent threat of taking his or her own life, may be confined for further intensive treatment pursuant to this article for an additional period not to exceed 14 days. This further intensive treatment may occur only under the following conditions: (a) The professional staff of the agency or facility providing intensive treatment services has analyzed the person’s condition and has found that the person presents an imminent threat of taking his or her own life. (b) The person has been advised of, but has not accepted, voluntary treatment. (c) The facility providing additional intensive treatment is equipped and staffed to provide treatment, is designated by the county to provide that intensive treatment, and agrees to admit the person. (d) The person has, as a result of mental disorder or impairment by chronic alcoholism, threatened or attempted to take his or her own life during the 14-day period of intensive treatment or the 72-hour evaluation period or was detained for evaluation and treatment because he or she threatened or attempted to take his or her own life.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5261. Section 5261.

(a) For a person to be certified under this article, a second notice of certification shall be signed by the professional person in charge of the facility providing the 14-day intensive treatment under Article 4 (commencing with Section 5250) to the person and by a physician, if possible a board-qualified psychiatrist, or a licensed psychologist who has a doctoral degree in psychology and at least five years of postgraduate experience in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders. The physician or psychologist who signs shall have participated in the evaluation and finding referred to in subdivision (a) of Section 5260. (b) If the professional person in charge is the physician who performed the medical evaluation and finding, or a psychologist, the second person to sign may be another physician or psychologist unless one is not available, in which case a social worker, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed professional clinical counselor, or registered nurse who participated in the evaluation and finding shall sign the notice of certification.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5262. Section 5262.

A second notice of certification for imminently suicidal persons is required for all involuntary 14-day intensive treatment, pursuant to this article, and shall be in substantially the following form: To the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of ______ The authorized agency providing 14-day intensive treatment, County of _________, has custody of: _________ Name ____________ Address ____________ Age ____________ Sex ____________ Marital status ____________ Religious affiliation ____________ The undersigned allege that the above-named person presents an imminent threat of taking his own life. This allegation is based upon the following facts: This allegation is supported by the accompanying affidavits signed by ____________. The above-named person has been informed of this allegation and has been advised of, but has not been able or willing to accept referral to, the following services: We, therefore, certify the above-named person to receive additional intensive treatment for no more than 14 days beginning this day of (Month) , 19__, in the intensive treatment facility herein named ________. We hereby state that a copy of this notice has been delivered this day to the above-named person and that he has been clearly advised of his continuing legal right to a judicial review by habeas corpus, and this term has been explained to him. (Date) Signed Countersigned Representing intensive treatment facility

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5263. Section 5263.

Copies of the second notice of certification for imminently suicidal persons, as set forth in Section 5262, shall be filed with the court and personally delivered to the person certified. A copy shall also be sent to the person’s attorney, to the district attorney, to the public defender, if any, and to the facility providing intensive treatment. The person certified shall also be asked to designate any person who is to be sent a copy of the certification notice. If the person certified is incapable of making such a designation at the time of certification, he or she shall be asked to designate such person as soon as he or she is capable.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5264. Section 5264.

(a) A certification for imminently suicidal persons shall be for no more than 14 days of intensive treatment, and shall terminate only as soon as the psychiatrist directly responsible for the person’s treatment believes, as a result of the psychiatrist’s personal observations, that the person has improved sufficiently for him or her to leave, or is prepared to voluntarily accept treatment on referral or to remain on a voluntary basis in the facility providing intensive treatment. However, in those situations in which both a psychiatrist and psychologist have personally evaluated or examined a person who is undergoing intensive treatment and there is a collaborative treatment relationship between the psychiatrist and psychologist, either the psychiatrist or psychologist may authorize the release of the person, but only after they have consulted with one another. In the event of a clinical or professional disagreement regarding the early release of a person who is undergoing intensive treatment, the person may not be released unless the facility’s medical director overrules the decision of the psychiatrist or psychologist opposing the release. Both the psychiatrist and psychologist shall enter their findings, concerns, or objections into the person’s medical record. If any other professional person who is authorized to release the person believes the person should be released before 14 days have elapsed, and the psychiatrist directly responsible for the person’s treatment objects, the matter shall be referred to the medical director of the facility for the final decision. However, if the medical director is not a psychiatrist, he or she shall appoint a designee who is a psychiatrist. If the matter is referred, the person shall be released before 14 days have elapsed only if the psychiatrist believes, as a result of the psychiatrist’s personal observations, that the person has improved sufficiently for him or her to leave, or is prepared to accept voluntary treatment on referral or to remain in the facility providing intensive treatment on a voluntary basis. (b) Any person who has been certified for 14 days of intensive treatment under this article and to whom Section 5226.1 is not applicable, or with respect to whom the criminal charge has been dismissed under Section 5226.1, shall be released at the end of the 14 days unless any of the following applies: (1) The patient agrees to receive further treatment on a voluntary basis. (2) The patient has been recommended for conservatorship pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350). (3) The patient is a person to whom Article 6 (commencing with Section 5300) of this chapter is applicable. (c) The amendments to this section made by Assembly Bill 348 of the 2003–04 Regular Session shall not be construed to revise or expand the scope of practice of psychologists, as defined in Chapter 6.6 (commencing with Section 2900) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5265. Section 5265.

Any individual who is knowingly and willfully responsible for detaining a person for more than 14 days in violation of the provisions of Section 5264 is liable to that person in civil damages.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5266. Section 5266.

Whenever a county designates two or more facilities to provide intensive treatment and the person to be treated, his family, conservator or guardian expresses a preference for one such facility, the professional person certifying the person to be treated shall attempt, if administratively possible, to comply with the preference.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5267. Section 5267.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 5113, if the provisions of Section 5264 have been met, the professional person in charge of the facility providing intensive treatment, his or her designee, the medical director of the facility or his or her designee described in Section 5264, the psychiatrist directly responsible for the person’s treatment, or the psychologist shall not be held civilly or criminally liable for any action by a person released before the end of 14 days pursuant to this article. (b) The professional person in charge of the facility providing intensive treatment, his or her designee, the medical director of the facility or his or her designee described in Section 5264, the psychiatrist directly responsible for the person’s treatment, or the psychologist shall not be held civilly or criminally liable for any action by a person released at the end of 14 days pursuant to this article. (c) The amendments to this section made by Assembly Bill 348 of the 2003–04 Regular Session shall not be construed to revise or expand the scope of practice of psychologists, as defined in Chapter 6.6 (commencing with Section 2900) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5268. Section 5268.

Nothing in this article shall prohibit the professional person in charge of an intensive treatment facility, or his designee, from permitting a person certified for intensive treatment to leave the facility for short periods during the person’s involuntary intensive treatment.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026