Florida Statutes
Part IV - Voluntary Admissions Procedures (S. 397.601)
397.601 - Voluntary admissions.


(1) A person who wishes to enter treatment for substance abuse may apply to a service provider for voluntary admission.
(2) Within the financial and space capabilities of the service provider, a person must be admitted to treatment when sufficient evidence exists that the person is impaired by substance abuse and the medical and behavioral conditions of the person are not beyond the safe management capabilities of the service provider.
(3) The service provider must emphasize admission to the service component that represents the least restrictive setting that is appropriate to the person’s treatment needs.

(4)(a) The disability of minority for persons under 18 years of age is removed solely for the purpose of obtaining voluntary substance abuse impairment services from a licensed service provider, and consent to such services by a minor has the same force and effect as if executed by an individual who has reached the age of majority. Such consent is not subject to later disaffirmance based on minority.
(b) Except for purposes of law enforcement activities in connection with protective custody, the disability of minority is not removed if there is an involuntary admission for substance abuse services, in which case parental participation may be required as the court finds appropriate.

(5) A service provider must document that, within 24 hours of admission, individuals admitted on a voluntary basis have been provided with the option to authorize the release of information from their clinical record to the individual’s health care surrogate or proxy, attorney, representative, or other known emergency contact.
History.—s. 5, ch. 93-39; s. 27, ch. 2009-132; s. 9, ch. 2022-36.