Pennsylvania's Section 302 process under the Mental Health Procedures Act runs on this ten-page form: the application, transport without a warrant, the county warrant, patient rights, protection of dependents and property, and the physician's examination. Physicians meet it as applicants who witnessed dangerous behavior and as the examining physician who decides whether the person is severely mentally disabled and needs involuntary treatment for the warrant period of up to 120 hours.
The applicant who witnessed the behavior completes Part I; a physician, police officer or county delegate completes Part II for transport without a warrant, and the county mental health administrator or delegate completes Part III. Part IV is signed by whoever explains the patient's rights, Part V by the physician, police officer, county administrator or delegate, and Part VI by the examining physician.
Page 1 holds the person's name, date of birth, address, county of residence, demographics, facility name, admission date and admission number, which may be completed after admission. Read the printed instructions, which assign each part of the form, and note any criminal proceedings and the arresting entity if the person is subject to them.
The applicant attests, under penalty for unsworn falsification, that the person poses a clear and present danger due to mental illness, checks each standard that applies, and describes specific behavior within the last 30 days with location, date, time and who observed it. Answer whether a mental health professional engaged with the person in that period and whether anyone discussed voluntary treatment, then sign to request a warrant.
A county delegate, police officer or physician who directly observed the person completes this part to document an evaluation without a warrant under Section 302(a)(2), affirming the conduct met the imminence standard. Enter professional name, role, date and time. If an ambulance is required, notify the county mental health administrator or delegate, since the county may cover transport depending on insurance.
The county mental health administrator or official delegate either orders that the person be taken to a named emergency provider for examination and possible treatment (option A) or denies the warrant with a reason (option B). The warrant states the detention period cannot exceed 120 hours, starting when the person arrives at the facility for examination.
When the person arrives, a staff member explains the rights described in Form MH 783-A, asks whether they understood, and checks the response: acknowledgement, no response, combative, or confused or did not seem to understand. The person explaining the rights signs, dates and times the entry and prints their name and title.
The physician, police officer, county administrator or delegate describes the reasonable and necessary steps taken so that, while the person is detained, the health and safety needs of known dependents are met and personal property and the premises they occupy are secure. Use additional sheets if required, then sign with date, time, printed name and role.
A facility representative records arrival date and time. The physician records the time of the initial examination, which must be within 2 hours of arrival. If the person could not participate because of serious medical complications, including incoherence from substance use, the physician records when they were re-evaluated for involuntary treatment criteria.
Describe the mental health examination findings in detail, the evidence that the person presents imminent risk of harm to self or others, and the individualized treatment recommended. Check A (severely mentally disabled and in need of involuntary treatment for the warrant period), B (does not meet the standard and is returned to a place they designate) or C (voluntary treatment under Section 201). Attest to medical clearance date and time and sign.
Download the current version from the source each time; forms change without notice.
Application for Involuntary Emergency Examination and Treatment
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Sources for this guide
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The examining physician. Part VI records the arrival time (signed by a facility representative), the time of the initial examination within 2 hours of arrival, the findings, the evidence of imminent risk of harm, the individualized treatment needed, and the determination: involuntary treatment, return of the person, or voluntary treatment under Section 201.
The warrant period cannot exceed 120 hours. The clock starts when the individual arrives at the facility for the mental health examination. If the physician finds the person severely mentally disabled, involuntary treatment is provided for the duration of that warrant period; otherwise the person is returned to a place they reasonably designate.
Yes. Under Section 302(a)(2), a physician, police officer or the county administrator's delegate who has directly observed the person can cause an involuntary evaluation without a warrant. Part II documents that decision and when the person arrived at the evaluation location. If ambulance transport is required, contact the county mental health administrator or delegate.
The MH 783 itself is published only in English. The client-facing companion forms that explain rights to the patient, such as the MH 783-A and MH 783-B, are translated into Spanish and other languages, so give the patient the version in their language.