2021 New Mexico Statutes
Article 6A - Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
Section 32A-6A-22 - Involuntary residential treatment.

A. A child may not receive treatment for mental disorders or habilitation for developmental disabilities on an involuntary residential basis except as provided in this section.
B. A child afforded rights under the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act shall be advised of those rights at that child's first appearance before the court on a petition under that act.
C. A child has the right to be placed in a residential treatment or habilitation program only when the placement is medically necessary.
D. A person who believes that a child, as a result of a mental disorder or developmental disability, is in need of residential mental health or developmental disabilities services may request that a children's court attorney file a petition with the court for the child's involuntary placement. The petition shall include a detailed description of the symptoms or behaviors of the child that support the allegations in the petition, a list of prospective witnesses for involuntary placement and a summary of matters to which they will testify. The petition should also contain a discussion of the alternatives to residential care that have been considered and the reasons for rejecting the alternatives. A copy of the petition shall be served upon the child, the child's legal custodian and the child's attorney or guardian ad litem.
E. The court shall, upon receiving the petition, appoint counsel for the child unless the child has retained an attorney or an attorney or guardian ad litem has been appointed pursuant to the provisions of the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act. The attorney or guardian ad litem shall represent the child at all stages of the proceedings.
F. If, after interviewing the child, the child's attorney or guardian ad litem determines that the child understands the child's rights and desires to waive the child's presence at the hearing on the issue of involuntary placement, the attorney or guardian ad litem shall submit a verified written statement to the court explaining the attorney's or guardian ad litem's understanding of the child's intent. If the court is satisfied that the child has voluntarily and knowingly waived the child's right to be present at the hearing, the child may be involuntarily placed in a residential treatment or habilitation program at a hearing at which the child is not present. By waiving the right to be present at the involuntary placement hearing, the child waives no other rights.
G. An involuntary placement hearing shall be held within seven days of the emergency admission of the child to a residential treatment or habilitation program under this section. An involuntary placement hearing shall be held within five days from a child's declaration that the child desires to terminate the child's voluntary admission to a residential treatment or habilitation program if the child's clinician has assessed and documented that involuntary placement is necessary.
H. At the involuntary placement hearing, the child shall:
(1) at all times be represented by counsel;
(2) have the right to present evidence, including the testimony of a mental health and developmental disabilities professional of the child's own choosing;
(3) have the right to cross-examine witnesses;
(4) have the right to a complete record of the proceedings; and
(5) have the right to an expeditious appeal of an adverse ruling.
I. The legal custodian of a child involved in an involuntary placement hearing shall have automatic standing as witnesses and shall be allowed to testify by telephone or through a written affidavit if circumstances make personal testimony too burdensome.
J. The court shall include in its findings either a statement of the child's legal custodian's opinion about whether the child should be involuntarily placed in a residential treatment or habilitation program, a statement detailing the efforts made to ascertain the legal custodian's opinion or a statement of why it was not in the child's best interests to have the legal guardian involved.
K. The court shall make an order involuntarily placing the child in a residential treatment or habilitation program upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that:
(1) as a result of mental disorder or developmental disability the child needs the treatment or habilitation services proposed;
(2) as a result of mental disorder or developmental disability the child is likely to benefit from the treatment or habilitation services proposed;
(3) the proposed involuntary placement is consistent with the treatment or habilitation needs of the child; and
(4) the proposed involuntary placement is consistent with the least restrictive means principle.
L. If the court determines that the child does not meet the criteria for involuntary placement set forth in this section, it may order the child to undergo nonresidential treatment or habilitation as may be appropriate and necessary or it may order no treatment. If the court determines that the child should not be involuntarily placed in a residential treatment or habilitation program and if the child's legal custodian refuses to take custody of the child, the court shall refer the case to the department for an abuse and neglect investigation. The department may take the child into custody pursuant to the provisions of the Abuse and Neglect Act [Chapter 32A, Article 4 NMSA 1978] or the Family in Need of Court-Ordered Services Act [Chapter 32A, Article 3B NMSA 1978].
M. A child receiving involuntary residential treatment or habilitation services for a mental disorder or developmental disability under this section shall have a right to periodic review of the child's involuntary placement at the end of every involuntary placement period. An involuntary placement period shall not exceed sixty days. At the expiration of an involuntary placement period, the child may continue in residential care only after a new involuntary placement hearing and entry of a new order of involuntary placement for one involuntary placement period. Nothing set forth in the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act prohibits a child, who has been involuntarily placed and thereafter discharged and released, from subsequently voluntarily consenting to admission under the provisions of that act.
N. If the person seeking the involuntary placement of a child to a residential treatment or habilitation program believes that the child is likely to cause serious bodily harm to self or to others during the period that would be required to hold an involuntary placement hearing as provided in this section, the child may be admitted to residential care on an emergency basis. If the child is admitted on an emergency basis, appointment of counsel and other procedures shall then take place as provided elsewhere in this section.
History: Laws 2007, ch. 162, § 22
Cross references. — For provisions of the 1995 Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act, relating to involuntary, see the 2006 NMSA 1978 (32A-6-13) on NMOneSource.com.
Compiler's note. — The Family in Need of Court-Ordered Services Act cited in Subsection L, was repealed by Laws 2005, ch. 189, § 77. For current law, see the Family in Need of Services Act, 32A-3A-1 NMSA 1978.
Effective dates. — Laws 2007, ch. 162 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 15, 2007, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.
Decisions under prior law. — In light of the similarity of the provisions, annotations decided under former Section 43-1-16.1 NMSA 1978 have been included in the annotations to this section.
Children's court is presumed to know what evidence is necessary to find child "committable," in order that the court may be able to make the necessary finding that the child is not committable. State v. Doe, 1982-NMCA-128, 98 N.M. 567, 650 P.2d 851, cert. denied, 98 N.M. 590, 651 P.2d 636.
Court may find child "not committable". — Where, no matter how the defendant's problems might be classified, there is no available program or facility that can adequately treat him, the court can find that he is not "committable." State v. Doe, 1982-NMCA-128, 98 N.M. 567, 650 P.2d 851, cert. denied, 98 N.M. 590, 651 P.2d 636.
Private attorney may petition a court for involuntary commitment of a minor to a mental health facility. 1988 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 88-02.
Law reviews. — For article, "Treating Children Under the New Mexico Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code," see 10 N.M.L. Rev. 279 (1980).
For article, "Child Welfare Under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978: A New Mexico Focus," see 10 N.M.L. Rev. 413 (1980).