Glossary

Glossary

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Glossaries

Term Main definition
Admitting Officer

A psychiatrist or other physician or psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner with experience in performing psychiatric examinations who has been designated as an admitting officer of the evaluation agency by the person in charge of the evaluation agency.

Adult

A person who is at least 18 years of age.

Agent

A person who is authorized to make decisions concerning the health care of another person

Chief medical officer

The chief medical officer under the supervision of the superintendent of the state hospital.

Civil deputy

The state or county attorney who is appointed to represent the doctor who filed the petition for Court Ordered Treatment

Conservator

A person who is appointed by a court to manage the estate of a protected person.

Criminal History

Police reports, lists of prior arrests and convictions, criminal case pleadings and court orders, including a determination that the person has been found incompetent to stand trial pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 13-4510.

Crisis Intervention Team

Programs that train police officers how to handle and respond safely to psychiatric crisis calls.

Synonyms - CIT
Danger to others

The judgment of a person who has a mental disorder is so impaired that the person is unable to understand the person's need for treatment and as a result of the person's mental disorder the person's continued behavior can reasonably be expected, on the basis of competent medical opinion, to result in serious physical harm.

Danger to Self
  1. Behavior that, as a result of a mental disorder:
    1. Constitutes a danger of inflicting serious physical harm on oneself, including attempted suicide or the serious threat thereof, if the threat is such that, when considered in the light of its context and in light of the individual's previous acts, it is substantially supportive of an expectation that the threat will be carried out.
    2. Without hospitalization will result in serious physical harm or serious illness to the person.
  2. Does not include behavior that establishes only the condition of having a grave disability.
Detention

The taking into custody of a patient or proposed patient.

Disability

Cause for a protective order as described in Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 14-5401.

Evaluation
  1. A professional multidisciplinary analysis that may include firsthand observations or remote observations by interactive audiovisual media and that is based on data describing the identity of the person, biography and medical, psychological and social conditions carried out by a group of persons consisting of not less than the following:
    1. Two licensed physicians, who shall be qualified psychiatrists, if possible, or at least experienced in psychiatric matters, and who shall examine and report their findings independently.  The person against whom a petition has been filed shall be notified that the person may select one of the physicians.  A psychiatric resident in a training program approved by the American medical association or by the American osteopathic association may examine the person in place of one of the psychiatrists if the resident is supervised in the examination and preparation of the affidavit and testimony in court by a qualified psychiatrist appointed to assist in the resident's training, and if the supervising psychiatrist is available for discussion with the attorneys for all parties and for court appearance and testimony if requested by the court or any of the attorneys.
    2. Two other individuals, one of whom, if available, shall be a psychologist and in any event a social worker familiar with mental health and human services that may be available placement alternatives appropriate for treatment. An evaluation may be conducted on an inpatient basis, an outpatient basis or a combination of both, and every reasonable attempt shall be made to conduct the evaluation in any language preferred by the person.
  2. A physical examination that is consistent with the existing standards of care and that is performed by one of the evaluating physicians or by or under the supervision of a physician who is licensed pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 32, Chapter 13 or 17 or a registered nurse practitioner who is licensed pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 32, Chapter 15 if the results of that examination are reviewed or augmented by one of the evaluating physicians.
Family member

A spouse, parent, adult child, adult sibling or other blood relative of a person undergoing treatment or evaluation pursuant to Arizona Revises Statutes, Title 36, Chapter 5

Grave disability

A condition evidenced by behavior in which a person, as a result of a mental disorder, is likely to come to serious physical harm or serious illness because the person is unable to provide for the basic physical needs of a person.

Synonyms - Gravely disabled
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