{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-202a.021","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 202A.021","heading":"Hospitalization of minors -- Admission or discharge of voluntary patients","body":"-- Transport of voluntary patients to receiving hospital or psychiatric facility.\n(1) The hospitalization of minors alleged to be mentally ill, except those provided for in\nKRS Chapter 640, shall be governed by KRS Chapter 645.\n(2) An authorized staff physician of a hospital may admit for observation, diagnosis,\ncare and treatment any person who is mentally ill or who has symptoms of mental\nillness and who applies voluntarily therefor.\n(3) An authorized staff physician of a hospital shall discharge any voluntary patient\nwho has recovered or whose hospitalization the staff physician determines to be no\nlonger necessary or advisable.\n(4) A voluntary patient shall be releas ed upon the patient's written request unless\nfurther detained under the applicable provisions of this chapter, including\nsubsection (5) of this section.\n(5) (a) A voluntary patient who presents or is admitted to a hospital with symptoms\nof mental illness m ay be transported from the originating hospital to a\nreceiving hospital or psychiatric facility:\n1. Upon the order of an authorized staff physician of an originating hospital\nand an authorized staff physician of a receiving hospital or psychiatric\nfacility; and\n2. Submission of the patient's signed written agreement to be voluntarily\ntransported.\n(b) If the agreed -upon transport from the originating hospital has been initiated,\nthe patient with a signed written agreement to be voluntarily transported under\nthis subsection shall not be physically released upon his or her request during\nthe transport to the receiving hospital or psychiatric facility. The patient shall\nbe physically released upon request after the patient has been received by the\nreceiving hosp ital or psychiatric facility upon the patient's written release\nrequest unless further detained under the applicable provisions of this chapter\nas provided for under subsection (4) of this section.","path":["KRS Chapter 202A"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=50966","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:58Z","sha256":"5f5a6710bac3886c01a59c8da1c2dce1174ce6015a4848b87b6b459a7455a05f","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-202a.020","next":"us-ky/krs-202a.026"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}