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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>68027</law_id><section_number>16.1-275</section_number><catch_line>Physical and mental examinations and treatment; nursing and medical care</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="16.1">Courts Not of Record</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="11">Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="8">Adjudication</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">juvenile court</span> or the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court may cause any juvenile within its <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> under the provisions of <span class="dictionary">this law</span> to be physically examined and treated by a physician or to be examined and treated at a local mental health center. If no such appropriate facility is available locally, <span class="dictionary">the court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> the juvenile to be examined and treated by any physician or psychiatrist or examined by a clinical psychologist. The Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall provide for distribution a list of appropriate mental health centers available throughout the Commonwealth. Upon the written recommendation of the person examining the juvenile that an adequate evaluation of the juvenile&#x2019;s treatment needs can only be performed in an inpatient hospital setting, <span class="dictionary">the court</span> shall have the power to send any such juvenile to a state mental hospital for not more than 10 days for the purpose of obtaining a recommendation for the treatment of the juvenile. No juvenile sent to a state mental hospital pursuant to this provision shall be held or cared for in any maximum security unit where <span class="dictionary">adults</span> determined to be criminally insane reside; the juvenile shall be kept separate and apart from such <span class="dictionary">adults</span>. However, the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services may place a juvenile who has been certified to the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court for <span class="dictionary">trial</span> as an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Circuit court hearing; jury; termination of juvenile court jurisdiction; objections and appeals" href="/16.1-269.6/">16.1-269.6</a> or <a class="law" title="Waiver of jurisdiction of juvenile court in certain cases" href="/16.1-270/">16.1-270</a> or who has been convicted as an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> of a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> in the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court in a unit appropriate for the care and treatment of persons under a criminal charge when, in his discretion, such placement is necessary to protect the security or safety of other patients, staff or the public.
		Whenever the parent or other person responsible for the care and support of a juvenile is determined by <span class="dictionary">the court</span> to be financially unable to pay the costs of such examination as ordered by the <span class="dictionary">juvenile court</span> or the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court, such costs may be paid according to procedures and rates adopted by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> from funds appropriated in the general appropriation act for the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>.
		The <span class="dictionary">juvenile court</span> or the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court may cause any juvenile within its <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> who is found to be delinquent for an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> that is eligible for commitment pursuant to subdivision A 14 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Delinquent juveniles" href="/16.1-278.8/">16.1-278.8</a> or &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Commitment of serious offenders" href="/16.1-285.1/">16.1-285.1</a> to be placed in the temporary <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Juvenile Justice for a period of time not to exceed 30 days for diagnostic assessment services after the adjudicatory <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> and prior to final <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of his or her case. Prior to such a placement, the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall determine that the personnel, services and space are available in the appropriate correctional facility for the care, supervision and study of such juvenile and that the juvenile&#x2019;s case is appropriate for referral for diagnostic services.
		Whenever a juvenile concerning whom a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> has been filed appears to be in need of nursing, medical or surgical care, the <span class="dictionary">juvenile court</span> or the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court may <span class="dictionary">order</span> the parent or other person responsible for the care and support of the juvenile to provide such care in a hospital or otherwise and to pay the expenses thereof. If the parent or other person is unable or fails to provide such care, the <span class="dictionary">juvenile court</span> or the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court may refer the matter to the authority designated in accordance with law for the determination of eligibility for such services in the county or city in which such juvenile or his parents have residence or legal domicile.
		In any such case, if a parent who is able to do so fails or refuses to comply with the <span class="dictionary">order</span>, the <span class="dictionary">juvenile court</span> or the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court may proceed against him as for <span class="dictionary">contempt</span> or may proceed against him for nonsupport.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 16.1-190; 1956, c. 555; 1972, c. 354; 1975, c. 430; 1976, c. 321; 1977, c. 559; 1978, c. 739; 1982, c. 636; 1983, c. 358; 1984, c. 44; 1988, cc. 47, 826; 1990, c. 975; 1994, cc. 859, 949; 2004, c. 321; 2009, cc. 813, 840; 2012, cc. 164, 456.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
