§ 16-1627 — AUTHORIZATION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT

(1) At any time whether or not a child is under the authority of the court, the court may authorize medical or surgical care for a child when:
(a) A parent, legal guardian or custodian is not immediately available and cannot be found after reasonable effort in the circumstances of the case; or
(b) A physician informs the court orally or in writing that in his professional opinion, the life of the child would be greatly endangered without certain treatment and the parent, guardian or other custodian refuses or fails to consent.
(2) If time allows in a situation under subsection (1)(b) of this section, the court shall cause every effort to be made to grant each of the parents or legal guardian or custodian an immediate informal hearing, but this hearing shall not be allowed to further jeopardize the child’s life.
(3) In making its order under subsection (1) of this section, the court shall take into consideration any treatment being given the child by prayer through spiritual means alone, if the child or his parent, guardian or legal custodian are adherents of a bona fide religious denomination that relies exclusively on this form of treatment in lieu of medical treatment.
(4) After entering any authorization under subsection (1) of this section, the court shall reduce the circumstances, finding and authorization to writing and enter it in the records of the court and shall cause a copy of the authorization to be given to the physician or hospital, or both, that was involved.
(5) Oral authorization by the court is sufficient for care or treatment to be given by and shall be accepted by any physician or hospital. No physician or hospital nor any nurse, technician or other person under the direction of such physician or hospital shall be subject to criminal or civil liability for performance of care or treatment in reliance on the court’s authorization, and any function performed thereunder shall be regarded as if it were performed with the child’s and the parent’s authorization.

Legislative History

[(16-1627) 16-1616, added 1976, ch. 204, sec. 2, p. 742; am. 1996, ch. 272, sec. 12, p. 894; am. and redesig. 2005, ch. 391, sec. 29, p. 1287.]