Emergency Evaluations

An emergency evaluation is a way to get a person who presents a danger to the life or safety of themselves or others to an emergency room to be examined.

If the court orders an emergency evaluation, the person will be taken to the nearest emergency facility by a law enforcement officer. An emergency room physician will determine if the person qualifies for involuntary admission to a psychiatric facility. (Health-General § § 10-620 through 10-630).

When should you file a Petition for Emergency Evaluation?

You may file a petition for emergency evaluation only if you have reason to believe that the person you’re filing for:

• has a mental disorder, which means their behavior or other symptoms indicate a clear disturbance in the person’s mental functioning (mental disorder does not include intellectual disability) and

• presents a danger to the life or safety of the person or others.

Who Can File a Petition for Emergency Evaluation?

A petition may be filed by:

How Do You Apply for an Emergency Evaluation?

Step 1: Complete the petition.