59-2955. Notice of right to communicate upon admission; notice of admission; notice of rights. (a) Whenever any person is involuntarily admitted to or detained at a treatment facility pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of K.S.A. 59-2954 and amendments thereto, or pursuant to an ex parte emergency custody order issued pursuant to K.S.A. 59-2958 and amendments thereto, the head of the treatment facility shall:

(1) Immediately advise the person in custody that such person is entitled to immediately contact the person's legal counsel, legal guardian, personal physician or psychologist, minister of religion, including a Christian Science practitioner or immediate family as defined in subsection (b) or any combination thereof. If the person desires to make such contact, the head of the treatment facility shall make available to the person reasonable means for making such immediate communication;

(2) provide notice of the person's involuntary admission including a copy of the document authorizing the involuntary admission to that person's attorney or legal guardian, immediately upon learning of the existence and whereabouts of such attorney or legal guardian, unless that attorney or legal guardian was the person who signed the application resulting in the patient's admission. If authorized by the patient pursuant to K.S.A. 65-5601 through 65-5605 and amendments thereto, the head of the treatment facility also shall provide notice to the patient's immediate family, as defined in subsection (b), immediately upon learning of the existence and whereabouts of such family, unless the family member to be notified was the person who signed the application resulting in the patient's admission; and

(3) immediately advise the person in custody of such person's rights provided for in K.S.A. 59-2978 and amendments thereto.

(b) "Immediate family" means the spouse, adult child or children, parent or parents, and sibling or siblings, or any combination thereof.

History: L. 1996, ch. 167, § 11; L. 1998, ch. 134, § 42; July 1.