§ 24-714 — Admittance into Public Health Service hospitals; narcotics users from District.

(a) The Surgeon General is authorized to admit for care and treatment in any hospital of the Public Health Service suitably equipped therefor, and thereafter to transfer between hospitals of the Service in accordance with § 248b of Title 42, United States Code, any addict who is committed, under the provisions of §§ 24-701 to 24-711 , to the Service or to a hospital thereof for care and treatment and who the Surgeon General determines is a proper subject for such care and treatment. No such addict shall be admitted unless:

(1) He is committed prior to July 1, 1958; and

(2) At the time of his commitment, the number of persons in hospitals of the Service who have been admitted pursuant to this subsection is less than 100; and

(3) Suitable accommodations are available after all eligible addicts convicted of offenses against the United States have been admitted.

(b) Any person admitted to a hospital of the Service pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be discharged therefrom: (1) upon order of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; or (2) when he is found by the Surgeon General to be cured and rehabilitated. When any such person is so discharged, the Surgeon General shall give notice thereof to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and shall deliver such person to such court for such further action as such court may deem necessary and proper under the provisions of §§ 24-701 to 24-711 .

(c) With respect to the detention, transfer, parole, or discharge of any person committed to a hospital of the Service in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, the Surgeon General and the officer in charge of the hospital, in addition to authority otherwise vested in them, shall have such authority as may be conferred upon them, respectively, by the order of the committing court.

(d) The cost of providing care and treatment for persons admitted to a hospital of the Service pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be a charge upon the District of Columbia and shall be paid by the District of Columbia to the Public Health Service, either in advance or otherwise, as may be determined by the Surgeon General. Such cost may be determined for each addict or on the basis of rates established for all or particular classes of patients, and shall include the cost of transportation to and from facilities or the Public Health Service. Moneys so paid to the Public Health Service shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts. Appropriations available for the care and treatment of addicts admitted to a hospital of the Service under this section shall be available, subject to regulations, for paying the cost of transportation to the District of Columbia, including subsistence allowance while traveling, for any such addict who is discharged.

Legislative History

July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 345; May 8, 1954, 68 Stat. 80, ch. 195, § 2; July 24, 1956, 70 Stat. 622, ch. 676, title III, § 302(c); July 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 572, Pub. L. 91-358, title I, § 155(c)(32)