Section 4403 - Voluntary commitment; application, examination and acceptance; duration of commitment(a) Application for voluntary commitment to a facility for examination, treatment and care may be made by:(1) Any person over eighteen years of age.(2) A parent, guardian or individual standing in loco parentis to the person to be admitted, if such person is eighteen years of age or younger.(b) The application shall be in writing, signed by the applicant in the presence of at least one witness. When an application is made, the director of the facility shall cause an examination to be made. If it is determined that the person named in the application is in need of care or observation, he shall be committed for a period not to exceed thirty days. Successive applications for continued voluntary commitment may be made for successive periods not to exceed thirty days each, so long as care or observation is necessary.(c) No person voluntarily committed shall be detained for more than ten days after he has given written notice to the director of his intention or desire to leave the facility, or after the applicant or his successor has given written notice of intention or desire to remove the detained person.(d) Each commitment under the provisions of this section shall be reviewed at least annually by a committee, appointed by the director from the professional staff of the facility wherein the person is cared for, to determine whether continued care and commitment is necessary. Said committee shall make written recommendations to the director which shall be filed at the facility and be open to inspection and review by the department and such other persons as the secretary by regulation shall permit. Where the commitment is under the provisions of section 403(a)(2) , the person committed shall be informed at least each sixty days of the voluntary nature of his status at the facility.
1966, Special Sess. No. 3, Oct. 20, P.L. 96, art. IV, § 403, effective 1/1/1967.