(a) A chronic alcoholic shall be encouraged to consent to outpatient and aftercare treatment for his illness at the types of facilities authorized in § 24-603(a). Any person may voluntarily request admission to outpatient treatment. The medical officer in charge of the outpatient treatment is authorized to determine who shall be admitted to such treatment. There shall be 1 central outpatient treatment office which shall coordinate the operation of all outpatient facilities, and particularly shall be responsible for locating residential facilities for indigent intoxicated persons and alcoholics.

(b) For chronic alcoholics for whom recovery is unlikely, supporting services and residential facilities shall be provided.

(c) The Mayor shall be responsible, through the outpatient treatment programs, for coordinating all public and private community efforts, including welfare services, vocational rehabilitation, and job placement, to integrate chronic alcoholics back into society as productive citizens.

(d) No person shall be required to participate in outpatient treatment without his consent unless required under an order of the Court issued under § 24-607. Reasonable requirements may be placed upon such a person as conditions for his participation in such treatment. If a patient withdraws from outpatient treatment against medical advice, he may be readmitted at the discretion of the medical officer in charge of outpatient treatment.

(Aug. 4, 1947, 61 Stat. 745, ch. 472, § 6; Aug. 3, 1968, 82 Stat. 621, Pub. L. 90-452, § 3(a).)

1981 Ed., § 24-526.

1973 Ed., § 24-526.

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.