Existing law requires that no inmate be administered psychotropic medication on a nonemergency basis without the inmate's informed consent, unless after a noticed hearing is conducted in which an administrative law judge determines by clear and convincing evidence that the inmate has a mental illness or disorder, that as a result of that illness the inmate is gravely disabled and lacks the capacity to consent or refuse treatment or is a danger to self or others if not medicated, that there is no less intrusive alternative to involuntary medication, and that the medication is in the inmate's best interest. Existing law authorizes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to seek to initiate involuntary medication on a nonemergency basis only if specified conditions are met, including that a psychiatrist has determined that the inmate is gravely disabled or is a danger to self or others and does not have the capacity to refuse treatment with psychotropic medication.
Existing law allows a physician to administer psychotropic medication to a prison inmate during an emergency consisting of a sudden and marked change in an inmate's mental condition so that action is immediately necessary for the preservation of life or the prevention of serious bodily harm. If psychotropic medication is administered during an emergency, existing law authorizes the medication to be administered for no more than 5 days.
This bill would contain findings and declarations to the effect that it is the intent of the Legislature in enacting specified legislation, which was previously enacted, to terminate the permanent injunction stemming from the decision in Keyhea v. Rushen providing a process for the involuntary administration of psychotropic medication to prisoners, and to replace those provisions with the provisions previously enacted, as specified.
This bill would revise the provisions authorizing the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to seek to initiate involuntary medication on a nonemergency basis only if specified conditions are met by instead requiring that the psychiatrist make a determination that the inmate is gravely disabled and does not have the capacity to refuse treatment with psychiatric medication, or is a danger to self or others. If psychiatric medication is administered on an emergency or interim basis, the bill would require the department to give notice to the inmate of its intention to seek an ex parte order if the situation necessitates the continuation of medication beyond the initial 72 hours pending a full mental health hearing, as provided. The bill would delete references to psychotropic medications throughout the provisions described above and instead refer to psychiatric medications. The bill would also enact provisions governing involuntary medication proceedings similar to those described above, as revised, that would be available to counties for inmates in a county jail, and would, in addition, authorize either a psychiatrist or a psychologist to make the determinations described above. The bill would also make clarifying changes.