§ 16-2431 — COST OF INVOLUNTARY TREATMENT PROCEEDINGS

All costs associated with the involuntary treatment proceedings, including usual and customary fees of designated examiners, transportation costs and all medical, psychiatric and hospital costs, shall be the responsibility of the parents of the child according to their ability to pay pursuant to section 39-3140, Idaho Code, or, if indigent, the county of such child’s residence after all personal, family and third-party resources, including medical assistance as authorized by title XIX of the social security act, as amended, are considered. The department shall assume responsibility for usual and customary treatment costs when the order for involuntary treatment is signed until the involuntary person is discharged and after all personal, family and third-party resources are considered in accordance with section 66-354, Idaho Code. For the purposes of this section, "usual and customary treatment costs" includes room and board; support services rendered at a facility of the department; routine physical, medical, psychological and psychiatric examination and testing; and group and individual therapy, psychiatric treatment, medication and medical care that can be provided at a facility of the department or approved by the department. The term "usual and customary treatment costs" shall not include witness fees and expenses for court appearances. Counties shall have no responsibility for costs of voluntary treatment of children under this chapter. Counties shall have no responsibility to pay for the cost of involuntary treatment of children after the court order is signed. This section does not affect the right of any child to receive free mental health or developmental disability services under any publicly supported program or the right of any parent to reimbursement from, or payment on the child’s behalf by, any publicly supported program or private insurer.

Legislative History

[16-2431, added 1997, ch. 404, sec. 1, p. 1298; am. 2025, ch. 110, sec. 4, p. 577.]