Definitions & Forms

Sample Title 25 forms are available on the Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment Services web page.

Continued emergency detention - ongoing detention of an individual past the initial emergency detention of 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, for no more than an additional ten days, on order of a judge at an emergency detention hearing, unless the right to such a hearing has been waived by either the detained person or their attorney (W.S. 25-10-109(h)).

County of residence - an individual is a resident if they have resided at least 90 days in the county.

Department - the Wyoming Department of Health.

Directed outpatient commitment - commitment of a mentally ill person to the care of an outpatient provider for up to 2 years of outpatient or non-hospital-based treatment as a result of a court determination that the detained individual is mentally ill and in need of treatment that can be conducted on an outpatient basis, rather than through inpatient hospitalization (W.S. 25-10-110.1).

Gatekeeper  - the single point of responsibility which may be appointed by the Department in consultation with the County Commissioners, which provides guidance, monitoring, and coordination of patient treatment prior to, during, and after any detention or involuntary hospitalization under Title 25 (W.S. 25-10-110(g)).

Mental illness and mentally ill - a physical, emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder which causes a person to be dangerous to himself or others and which requires treatment, but does not include addiction to drugs or alcohol, drug or alcohol intoxication, or developmental disabilities, except when one or more of those conditions co-occurs as a secondary diagnosis with mental illness (W.S. 25-10-101(ix)).

Initial emergency detention - the initial 72 hour hold, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, placed on an individual by a law enforcement officer or examiner who has reasonable cause to believe the individual is both mentally ill and a danger to self or others (W.S. 25-10-109).

Involuntary hospitalization - commitment of a mentally ill person to the care of a psychiatric facility for inpatient treatment as a result of a court determination that the detained individual is mentally ill (W.S. 25-10-110).

Proceeding - any official legal decision on a matter before a judge.

Rescinded - an order is rescinded when a previously issued court order, such as an order for directed outpatient commitment or involuntary hospitalization, is revoked.