1. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, an individual shall be admitted to the Evansville State Psychiatric Treatment Center for Children if the decision to admit the individual is approved by:

   1. (1) the individual's gatekeeper; and

   2. (2) the Evansville State Psychiatric Treatment Center for Children's admission committee, which must consist of at least the following individuals:

      1. (A) The superintendent.
      2. (B) The medical director.
      3. (C) The clinical director.
      4. (D) The director of nursing.
2. (b) The division of mental health and addiction shall encourage and facilitate the placement of appropriate patients at the Evansville State Psychiatric Treatment Center for Children. A state operated facility must be considered before referring a patient to an out-of-state treatment center. The appropriateness of admission to the Evansville State Psychiatric Treatment Center for Children is determined when both the individual's gatekeeper and the Evansville State Psychiatric Treatment Center for Children's admission committee agree that the individual meets admission criteria and that admission to the Evansville State Psychiatric Treatment Center for Children is the least restrictive treatment option available to meet the individual's psychiatric needs. An administrator of the division of mental health and addiction may not make a determination of the appropriateness of admission to the Evansville State Psychiatric Treatment Center for Children unless the individual's gatekeeper and the admissions committee fail to reach agreement on the appropriateness of the referral. If the gatekeeper and the admissions committee fail to reach an agreement on the appropriateness of the referral, the decision of the division of mental health and addiction is final.

As added by P.L.192-2002(ss), SEC.155.