Oregon Code § 426.234·Enacted ·Last updated March 01, 2026
Statute Text
Duties
of professionals at facility where person admitted; notification; duties of
court.
(1) At the
time a person alleged to have a mental illness is admitted to or retained in a
hospital or nonhospital facility under ORS 426.232 or 426.233, a licensed
independent practitioner, nurse or qualified mental health professional at the
hospital or nonhospital facility shall:
(a) Inform the
person of the persons right to representation by or appointment of counsel as
described in ORS 426.100;
(b) Give the
person the warning under ORS 426.123;
(c) Immediately
examine the person;
(d) Set forth, in
writing, the condition of the person and the need for emergency care or
treatment; and
(e) If the
licensed independent practitioner, nurse or qualified mental health
professional reasonably suspects that the person is a foreign national, inform
the person of the persons right to communicate with an official from the
consulate of the persons country. A licensed independent practitioner, nurse
or qualified mental health professional is not civilly or criminally liable for
failure to provide the information required by this paragraph. Failure to
provide the information required by this paragraph does not in itself
constitute grounds for the exclusion of evidence that would otherwise be
admissible in a proceeding.
(2)(a) At the
time the person is admitted to or retained in a hospital under ORS 426.232, the
licensed independent practitioner shall contact the community mental health
program director of the county in which the person resides, if the county of
residence is different from the county in which the hospital is located. The
community mental health program director may request that the licensed
independent practitioner notify the circuit court in the county in which the
person resides. If the community mental health program director does not make
the request, the licensed independent practitioner shall notify, immediately
and in writing, the circuit court in the county in which the person is
hospitalized.
(b) At the time
the person is admitted to a hospital under ORS 426.232 after being brought to
the hospital by a peace officer under ORS 426.228, the licensed independent
practitioner shall contact the community mental health program director of the
county in which the person is hospitalized. The community mental health program
director of the county in which the person is hospitalized may request that the
licensed independent practitioner notify the circuit court in the county in
which the person is hospitalized. If the community mental health program
director does not make the request, the licensed independent practitioner shall
notify, immediately and in writing, the circuit court in the county in which
the person was taken into custody.
(c) If, at any
time prior to the hearing under ORS 426.070 to 426.170, the licensed
independent practitioner responsible for a person admitted or retained under
ORS 426.232 determines that the person is not a danger to self or others and is
not in need of emergency care or treatment for mental illness, the licensed
independent practitioner may release the person from the detention authorized
by ORS 426.232. The licensed independent practitioner shall immediately notify
the circuit court notified under this subsection and the community mental
health program director of the persons release from detention.
(3)(a) At the
time the person is admitted to or retained in a nonhospital facility under ORS
426.233, the community mental health program director in the county where the
person was taken into custody shall contact the community mental health program
director of the county in which the person resides, if the county of residence
is different from the county in which the person was taken into custody. The
community mental health program director of the county in which the person
resides may request that the community mental health program director of the
county in which the person was taken into custody notify the circuit court in
the county where the person resides. Otherwise, the community mental health
program director of the county in which the person was taken into custody shall
notify, immediately and in writing, the circuit court in the county in which
the person was taken into custody.
(b) If, at any
time prior to the hearing under ORS 426.070 to 426.170, a community mental
health program director, after consultation with a licensed independent
practitioner, determines that a person admitted or retained under ORS 426.233
is not a danger to self or others and is not in need of immediate care, custody
or treatment for mental illness, the community mental health program director
may release the person from detention. The community mental health program
director shall immediately notify the circuit court originally notified under
paragraph (a) of this subsection of the persons release from detention.
(4) When
Plain English Explanation
This Oregon statute addresses Duties
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Key Points
01Part of Oregon statutory law
02Referenced as Oregon Code § 426.234
03Subject to legislative amendments
04Consult a licensed attorney for application to specific cases
Frequently Asked Questions
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