A person in custody who has been charged with or convicted of a criminal offense may make voluntary application for inpatient or outpatient mental health services in accordance with Section 5003 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. If such services require absence from the jail premises, consent from the person in charge of the jail or from any judge of a court in the county in which the jail is located, and from the director of the county mental health program in which services are to be rendered, shall be obtained. The local mental health director or his designee may examine the prisoner prior to the transfer from the jail.

Where the court approves voluntary treatment for a jail inmate for whom criminal proceedings are pending, the court shall forthwith notify counsel for the prisoner and the prosecuting attorney about such approval. Where the person in charge of the jail approves voluntary treatment for a prisoner for whom criminal proceedings are pending, the person in charge of the jail shall immediately notify each court within the county where the prisoner has a pending proceeding about such approval; upon notification by the jailer the court shall forthwith notify the prosecuting attorney and counsel for the prisoner in the criminal proceedings about such transfer.

If the prisoner voluntarily obtains treatment in a facility or is placed on outpatient treatment pursuant to Section 5003 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the time passed therein shall count as part of the prisoner’s sentence. When the prisoner is permitted absence from the jail for voluntary treatment, the person in charge of the jail shall advise the professional person in charge of the facility of the expiration date of the prisoner’s sentence. If the prisoner is to be released from the facility before such expiration date, the professional person in charge shall notify the local mental health director or his designee, counsel for the prisoner, the prosecuting attorney, and the person in charge of the jail, who shall send for, take, and receive the prisoner back into the jail.

A denial of an application for voluntary mental health services shall be reviewable only by mandamus.

(Added by Stats. 1975, Ch. 1258.)