Chief Patron

Sen. Don McEachin (D-Richmond)

Don McEachin (D-Richmond)
Served: 2008–

Status

02/13/2008: Failed to Pass in Committee
View Entire History

Summary

Mentally ill defendants; treatment and hospitalization. Establishes a new standard for hospitalizing mentally ill criminal defendants. Hospitalization may occur when the defendant has a mental illness and there exists a substantial likelihood that, as a result of that mental illness, the defendant will, in the near future, cause serious physical harm to himself or others as evidenced by recent behavior causing, attempting, or threatening harm. Under current law the standard is "imminently dangerous to himself or others." The provision applies to pretrial, after conviction but before sentencing, and after sentencing. The bill specifies that the evaluation must be done face-to-face by an employee of the community services board or its designee who is skilled in the assessment and treatment of mental illness and has completed a certification program approved by the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services.