§ 17a-683 — (Formerly Sec. 19a-126c). Police assistance for intoxicated persons. Protective custody of person incapacitated by alcohol. Medical examination. Detention and release. Notification to family. Assistance for nonadmitted person.

Connecticut § 17a-683

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 17a: Social and Human Services and Resources
• Ch. 319j: Addiction Services

Text

(a) Any police officer finding a person who appears to be intoxicated in a public place and in need of help may, with such person's consent, assist such person to his home, a treatment facility, or a hospital or other facility able to accept such person. (b) Any police officer finding a person who appears to be incapacitated by alcohol shall take him into protective custody and have him brought forthwith to a treatment facility which provides medical triage in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to section 19a-495 or to a hospital. The police, in detaining the person and in having him brought forthwith to such a treatment facility or a hospital, shall be taking him into protective custody and shall make every reasonable effort to protect his health and safety. In taking the person into protective custody, the detaining officer may take reasonable steps to protect himself. A taking into protective custody under this section is not an arrest. No entry or other record shall be made to indicate that the person has been arrested or charged with a crime. For purposes of this section “medical triage” means a service which provides immediate assessment of symptoms of substance abuse, the immediate care and treatment of these symptoms as necessary, a determination of need for treatment, and assistance in attaining appropriate continued treatment. (c) A person who is brought to a treatment facility which provides medical triage in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to section 19a-495 or to a hospital shall be examined by a medical officer or his designee as soon as possible. The medical officer shall determine whether the person requires inpatient treatment based upon the medical examination of the person and upon a finding that the person is incapacitated by alcohol. (d) If the medical officer determines that the person requires inpatient treatment, the person shall be (1) admitted to, referred to or detained at a treatment facility that provides medical treatment for detoxification or a hospital, or (2) committed to a treatment facility operated by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for emergency treatment pursuant to the provisions of section 17a-684 . A person treated under subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be admitted as a voluntary patient, or, if necessary, detained for necessary treatment. If such person is referred to another treatment facility or another hospital, the referring facility or hospital shall arrange for his transportation. (e) Any person admitted or detained as a patient under subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of this section shall be released once he is no longer incapacitated by alcohol or within forty-eight hours, whichever is shorter, unless he consents to further medical evaluation or treatment. (f) If a patient is admitted to a treatment facility or hospital, his family or next of kin shall, unless prohibited by federal law, be notified as promptly as possible. If a patient who is not incapacitated by alcohol requests that there be no notification, his request shall be respected. (g) A person who is not admitted to a treatment facility or a hospital, is not referred to another treatment facility or hospital and has no funds may be taken to his home, if any. If he has no home, the facility shall assist him in obtaining shelter.

Legislative History

(P.A. 74-280, S. 12, 23, 25; P.A. 75-479, S. 10, 25; 75-569, S. 7; P.A. 76-300, S. 1, 4; P.A. 86-371, S. 5, 45; P.A. 90-209, S. 5; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; 93-435, S. 59, 95; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 18, 88; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-10, S. 1, 7; P.A. 09-145, S. 11.) History: P.A. 75-479 replaced reference to Sec. 53a-184 with reference to Sec. 53a-184a in Subsec. (j) and required appropriations and finance committee reports on or before February 15, 1976; P.A. 75-569 made provisions specifically applicable to those incapacitated by alcohol, included references to licensed treatment facilities, replaced detailed listing of diagnostic procedures in Subsec. (b) with statement allowing use of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, deleted former Subsecs. (f) re waiver of presentment and consent to voluntary treatment and (i) re procedure when apparently intoxicated person charged with violation or offense, redesignating remaining Subsecs. accordingly; P.A. 76-300 changed applicable dates in Subsec. (h) and deleted provisions re report to general assembly; P.A. 86-371 deleted obsolete Subsec. (h); P.A. 90-209 substantially rewrote the provisions of the section, revised the Subsec. indicators, added new Subsec. (a) which reworded Subsec. (b) of repealed Sec. 17-155u, added provisions re medical triage, required rather than allowed a medical officer to take certain actions when a person requires inpatient treatment and in new Subsec. (f) provided that there not be notification if prohibited by federal law; Sec. 17-155v transferred to Sec. 17a-625 in 1991; P.A. 93-381 and 93-435 replaced Connecticut alcohol and drug abuse commission with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17a-625 transferred to Sec. 19a-126c in 1995; Sec. 19a-126c transferred to Sec. 17a-683 in 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 added Subsec. (h) re payment at any facility, effective July 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-10 repealed provision added by June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 09-145 amended Subsec. (d) by replacing “Department of Public Health and Addiction Services” with “Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services” and making a technical change. Section is plain and unambiguous and involves police officer's discretionary act of determining whether a person is intoxicated or incapacitated by alcohol or if something else is wrong with person, and “identifiable person-imminent harm” exception to governmental immunity is not applicable to officer's acts. 116 CA 849.