(a) Pursuant to applicable rules and regulations established by the State Department of State Hospitals or the State Department of Developmental Services, the medical director of a state hospital may receive in that hospital, as a boarder and patient, a person who is a suitable person for care and treatment in that hospital, upon receipt of a written application for the admission of the person into the hospital for care and treatment made in accordance with the following requirements:

(1) In the case of an adult, the application shall be made voluntarily by the person, at a time when he or she is in a condition of mind as to render him or her competent to make it or, if he or she is a conservatee with a conservator of the person or person and estate who was appointed under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350) of Part 1 of Division 5 with the right as specified by court order under Section 5358 to place his or her conservatee in a state hospital, by his or her conservator.

(2) In the case of a minor, the application shall be made by his or her parents, or by the parent, guardian, conservator, or other person entitled to his or her custody to a mental hospital as may be designated by the Director of State Hospitals or the Director of Developmental Services to admit minors on voluntary applications. If the minor has a conservator of the person, or the person and the estate, appointed under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350) of Part 1 of Division 5, with the right as specified by court order under Section 5358 to place the conservatee in a state hospital the application for the minor shall be made by his or her conservator.

(b) A person received in a state hospital shall be deemed a voluntary patient.

(c) Upon the admission of a voluntary patient to a state hospital the medical director shall immediately forward to the office of the State Department of State Hospitals or the State Department of Developmental Services the record of the voluntary patient, showing the name, residence, age, sex, place of birth, occupation, civil condition, date of admission of the patient to the hospital, and other information as required by the rules and regulations of the department.

(d) The charges for the care and keeping of a person with a mental health disorder in a state hospital shall be governed by the provisions of Article 4 (commencing with Section 7275) of Chapter 3 of Division 7 relating to the charges for the care and keeping of persons with mental health disorders in state hospitals.

(e) A voluntary adult patient may leave the hospital or institution at any time by giving notice of his or her desire to leave to a member of the hospital staff and completing normal hospitalization departure procedures. A conservatee may leave in a like manner if notice is given by his or her conservator.

(f) A minor who is a voluntary patient may leave the hospital or institution after completing normal hospitalization departure procedures after notice is given to the superintendent or person in charge by the parents, or the parent, guardian, conservator, or other person entitled to the custody of the minor, of their desire to remove him or her from the hospital.

(g) No person received into a state hospital, private mental institution, or county psychiatric hospital as a voluntary patient during his or her minority shall be detained therein after he or she reaches the age of majority. A person, after attaining the age of majority, may apply for admission into the hospital or institution for care and treatment in the manner prescribed in this section for applications by an adult.

(h) The State Department of State Hospitals or the State Department of Developmental Services shall establish rules and regulations necessary to carry out properly the provisions of this section.

(i) Commencing July 1, 2012, the department shall not admit any person to a developmental center pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 144, Sec. 106. (AB 1847) Effective January 1, 2015.)