§ 37-7-103. Procedure for Transfer of Georgia Residents From Out-of-State Hospitals to Georgia Hospitals
Upon application to the department by a parent, spouse, next of kin, or guardian or by an agency of another state in which the patient is hospitalized, a patient shall be eligible to be hospitalized in the State of Georgia if found by the department to be a legal resident of this state. The department […]
§ 37-7-104. Procedure Upon Discovery That a Patient Hospitalized in Georgia Is Not a Resident
If a hospitalized patient is discovered not to be a resident, the regional state hospital administrator of the treatment facility in which the patient is hospitalized shall seek his transfer to the custody of authorities of the state of his residence or to a publicly owned or publicly operated psychiatric hospital in that state. Notwithstanding […]
§ 37-7-120. Effect of Inability to Pay on Right to Care and Treatment
It is the policy of this state that no person shall be denied care and treatment for alcoholism, drug dependency, or drug abuse nor shall services be delayed at a facility of the state or a political subdivision of the state because of inability to pay for such care and treatment. History. Code 1933, § […]
§ 37-7-121. Liability for Expenses of Transporting, Examining, and Caring for Patients
The responsibility for paying the expenses for transporting, examining, and caring for patients, which expenses are not provided for under Chapter 9 of this title, relating to the payment of costs of care of persons admitted to state institutions under the department, shall be in the following order: The patient or his estate; Persons legally […]
§ 37-7-122. Payment of Expenses Incurred in Connection With Hearings Held Under This Chapter
Except as provided in this Code section, the expenses of any hearing held under this chapter by a court or by a hearing examiner, including attorneys’ fees authorized by paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section and including hearing officer expenses authorized by paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of this Code section, shall […]
§ 37-7-140. Retention of Rights and Privileges by Patients Generally; Right to Due Process
Patients shall retain all rights and privileges granted other persons or citizens. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no person who is receiving or has received services for alcoholism or drug abuse shall be deprived of any civil, political, personal, or property rights or be considered legally incompetent for any purpose without […]
§ 37-7-141. Patients’ Right to Legal Counsel
It shall be the responsibility of the department to see that every patient is given the opportunity to secure legal counsel at his own expense to represent him in connection with private, personal, domestic, business, civil, criminal, and all other legal matters in which he may be involved during hospitalization. History. Code 1933, § 88-402.15, […]
§ 37-7-142. Right of Patients to Communicate With Persons Outside Facility and to Receive Visitors; Inspection, Restriction, and Censorship of Patient Correspondence; Establishment by Chief Medical Officer of Regulations Governing Visits and Use of Telephones
Each patient in a facility shall have the right to communicate freely and privately with persons outside the facility and to receive visitors inside the facility. Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, each patient shall be allowed to receive and send sealed, unopened mail; and no patient’s incoming or outgoing mail shall be […]
§ 37-7-143. Patients’ Rights in Regard to Personal Effects; Liability of Facility’s Employees and Staff Members for Loss of or Damage to Patients’ Personal Effects
A patient’s rights to his personal effects shall be respected. The chief medical officer may take temporary custody of such effects when required for medical reasons. The facility shall make reasonable efforts to assure the safety of the patient’s belongings, but no employee or staff member shall be responsible for loss of or damage to […]
§ 37-7-92. Hearing; Notice; Waiver of Hearing; Apprehension and Detention of Patient Failing to Appear; Treatment Upon Waiver
Except when a hearing is waived as provided in this subsection, within 30 days after the filing of the petition under subsection (d) of Code Section 37-7-91, the court shall hold a full and fair hearing. At least ten days prior to that hearing, the court shall have served on the patient and the patient’s […]