NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

CHAPTER 547

SENATE BILL 292

AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE 4 OF CHAPTER 122 (VOLUNTARY ADMISSION) OF THE GENERAL STATUTES TO ALLOW THE VOLUNTARY ADMISSION OF AN INMATE IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION TO REGIONAL MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  Article 4 of Chapter 122 of the General Statutes is hereby amended by adding a new section at the end of that Article to be numbered G.S. 122-56.10 and to read as follows:

"§ 122-56.10.  Voluntary admission of inmates from the Department of Correction to Regional Mental Health Facilities. — (a) Inmates in the custody of the Department of Correction may seek voluntary admission to regional psychiatric facilities for mental illness or inebriety. Such admission may be accomplished only when the Secretary of Human Resources or his designee and the Secretary of Correction or his designee jointly agree to the inmate's request.

(b)        The provisions of G.S. 122-56.3 shall apply to the voluntary admission of inmates, however, upon discharge of a voluntarily admitted inmate, the Department of Correction shall take custody of such inmate if the inmate's term of incarceration has not been completed.

(c)        The Department of Correction is responsible for the security and costs of transporting inmates to and from regional psychiatric facilities for the purpose of accomplishing a voluntary admission.

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1979.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 11th day of May, 1979.