Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 123 - Mental Health
Section 4 - Periodic Review; Notice

[See Order of the Commissioner of Public Health, dated April 3, 2020, (2019 MA EO H20-22) related to the COVID-19 State of Emergency, for potential impact on the terms of this section.]
Section 4. Each person within the care of the department and each person at the Bridgewater state hospital under the provisions of this chapter relative to the mentally ill shall be the subject of a periodic review under the supervision of the superintendent, if said person is in a department facility, or of the medical director if said person is at the Bridgewater state hospital, which shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, (1) a thorough clinical examination, (2) an evaluation of the legal competency of the person and the necessity or advisability of having a guardian or conservator appointed or removed, (3) a consideration of all possible alternatives to continued hospitalization or residential care including, but not necessarily limited to, a determination of the person's relationship to the community and to his family, or his employment possibilities, and of available community resources, foster care and convalescent facilities, and (4) unless a guardian or conservator has been appointed, an evaluation of each person who is an inpatient or resident of a facility in order to determine how much of his funds shall be designated as dependent funds and how much as independent funds, and the formulation and maintenance of a financial plan for the use of his dependent funds. Said periodic review shall take place at least upon admission, once during the first three months after admission, once during the second three months after admission and annually thereafter. Said person shall be given a physical examination by a physician licensed under the provisions of chapter one hundred and twelve at least once in every twelve-month period during which he is resident in said departmental facility or at the Bridgewater state hospital.
The superintendent or the medical director at the Bridgewater state hospital shall give written notice to said person and his guardian, or, if there is no such guardian and the mentally ill person does not knowingly object, his nearest relative prior to any such review which is made subsequent to admission. The social service department of the facility or of the Bridgewater state hospital shall take part in the review and may utilize community resources, including the area-based community mental health programs. The results of each review shall become part of the official record of the person reviewed.
If the mentally ill person is in need of further care and treatment, the superintendent or said medical director shall notify him and his guardian, or, if there is no such guardian and the mentally ill person does not knowingly object, his nearest relative, of that fact, and of his right to leave the facility or said hospital if he was not committed under a court order. If said mentally ill person was not committed under a court order and does not choose further treatment as an inpatient, within fourteen days of said notification he shall be discharged or be made the subject of a petition for a court ordered commitment. Following any review under the provisions of this section, or at any other time, any patient who is no longer in need of care as an inpatient shall be discharged or placed on interim community leave.

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