(a) The Director shall discharge any resident admitted or committed pursuant to this subchapter if, in the judgment of the Director, the results of a comprehensive evaluation, which shall be performed at least annually, indicate that residential care is no longer advisable. In the case of an individual committed under § 7-1304.06a, the Director shall also consider whether the individual would be likely to cause injury to others as a result of his or her mental retardation if the individual were to be discharged from residential care.
(b) Notice of the proposed discharge under subsection (a) of this section shall be served on the resident, the resident's parent or guardian, the resident's counsel, the mental retardation advocate, and, in the case of an individual committed under § 7-1304.06a, the District at least 30 days prior to the proposed discharge. If the resident, the resident's parent or guardian, the resident's counsel, the mental retardation advocate, or, in the case of an individual committed under § 7-1304.06a, the District objects to the discharge, he or she, or the District, may file a petition with the Court requesting a hearing in accordance with the procedures set forth in subchapter IV of this chapter. Any objecting party shall file the petition requesting a hearing with the Court within 10 days of receiving the notice. The hearing, if one is requested, shall be held on or before the discharge date. The resident shall not be discharged prior to the hearing.
CREDIT(S)
(Mar. 3, 1979, D.C. Law 2-137, § 310, 25 DCR 5094; Oct. 17, 2002, D.C. Law 14-199, § 2(f), 49 DCR 7647.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 6-1930.
1973 Ed., § 6-1663.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 14-199 rewrote the section which had read as follows:
Ҥ 7-1303.10. Discharge from residential care.
“The Director shall discharge any resident admitted or committed pursuant to this subchapter if, in the judgment of the Chief Program Director, the results of a comprehensive evaluation, which shall be performed at least annually, indicate that residential care is no longer advisable. If the resident, the resident's parent or guardian, the resident's counsel, or the mental retardation advocate objects to the discharge, he or she may file a petition with the Court requesting a hearing in accordance with the procedures set forth in subchapter IV of this chapter. The resident shall not be discharged prior to the hearing.”
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(f) of Civil Commitment of Citizens with Mental Retardation Emergency Amendment Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-383, June 12, 2002, 49 DCR 5701).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(f) of Civil Commitment of Citizens with Mental Retardation Legislative Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-454, July 23, 2002, 49 DCR 8096).
Legislative History of Laws
For legislative history of D.C. Law 2-137, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 7-1301.02.
For Law 14-199, see notes following § 7-1301.03.