1. When a consumer, involuntarily admitted to a mental health facility or to a program of community-based or outpatient services by court order, is released at the end of the period specified pursuant to NRS 433A.310, written notice must be given to the admitting court and to the consumer’s legal guardian at least 10 days before the release of the consumer. The consumer may then be released without requiring further orders of the court. If the consumer has a legal guardian, the facility or the professional responsible for providing or coordinating the program of community-based or outpatient services shall notify the guardian before discharging the consumer from the facility or program. The legal guardian has discretion to determine where the consumer will be released, taking into consideration any discharge plan proposed by the facility assessment team or the professional responsible for providing or coordinating the program of community-based or outpatient services. If the legal guardian does not inform the facility or professional as to where the consumer will be released within 3 days after the date of notification, the facility or professional shall discharge the consumer according to its proposed discharge plan.

2. A consumer who is involuntarily admitted to a mental health facility may be unconditionally released before the period specified in NRS 433A.310 when:

(a) An evaluation team established under NRS 433A.250 or two persons professionally qualified in the field of psychiatric mental health, at least one of them being a physician, determines that the consumer is no longer a person in a mental health crisis; and

(b) Under advisement from the evaluation team or two persons professionally qualified in the field of psychiatric mental health, at least one of them being a physician, the medical director of the mental health facility authorizes the release and gives written notice to the admitting court and to the consumer’s legal guardian at least 10 days before the release of the consumer. If the consumer has a legal guardian, the facility shall notify the guardian before discharging the consumer from the facility. The legal guardian has discretion to determine where the consumer will be released, taking into consideration any discharge plan proposed by the facility assessment team. If the legal guardian does not inform the facility as to where the consumer will be released within 3 days after the date of notification, the facility shall discharge the consumer according to its proposed discharge plan.

3. A consumer who is involuntarily admitted to a program of community-based or outpatient services may be unconditionally released before the period specified in NRS 433A.310 when:

(a) The professional responsible for providing or coordinating the program of community-based or outpatient services for the consumer determines that the consumer is no longer a person in a mental health crisis; and

(b) Under advisement from an evaluation team established under NRS 433A.250 or two persons professionally qualified in the field of psychiatric mental health, at least one of them being a physician, the professional responsible for providing or coordinating the program of community-based or outpatient services for the consumer authorizes the release and gives written notice to the admitting court at least 10 days before the release of the consumer from the program.

(Added to NRS by 1975, 1607; A 1983, 508; 1989, 1762; 1997, 3496; 1999, 868; 2009, 1668; 2011, 429; 2013, 3495; 2019, 364)