This statute establishes liability protections and standards of care for licensed clinicians (physicians, psychologists, medical psychologists, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners) and general hospital personnel acting under Louisiana's involuntary commitment and emergency certificate provisions. Clinicians and hospital staff who meet the applicable standard of care are shielded from civil and criminal liability unless their conduct constitutes willful/wanton negligence or gross misconduct; the hospital personnel shield requires documented training in nonviolent crisis intervention within the preceding 12 months. The statute also imposes criminal penalties for knowingly filing false commitment applications or certificates, and grants personal immunity to law enforcement officers executing authorized apprehension or protective custody actions.
View official sourceLogin Sign-Up Home Laws Bills Sessions House Senate Committees Legislators My Legis 2026 Regular Session Other Sessions 2026 Regular Session Other Sessions House Committees Senate Committees Miscellaneous Committees Scheduled Meetings Representatives Senators Caucuses and Delegations RS 28:63 §63. Standard of care; limitation of liability; penalties A.(1) Any physician licensed or permitted by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, psychologist, medical psychologist, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, or public and private general hospital personnel exercising that degree of skill and care ordinarily employed, under similar circumstances by members of his profession in good standing in the same community or locality, and using reasonable care and diligence with his best judgment in the application of his skill, shall not be held civilly liable or subject to criminal prosecution for acts arising from his professional opinions which fall within the scope of his duties, judgments, actions, or duties pursuant to any of the provisions of this Part, unless the damage or injury was caused by willful or wanton negligence or gross misconduct. This limitation of liability shall apply only to public and private general hospital personnel who within the preceding twelve-month period have received appropriate training in nonviolent crisis intervention. Such training shall be documented in their personnel files. The training shall be provided by an instructor who has attended a course in crisis intervention taught by a certified instructor. (2) The provisions of this Subsection shall not affect the provisions of R.S. 40:2113.6 or the Federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, 42 U.S.C. 1395dd. B. Any physician licensed or permitted by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, psychologist, medical psychologist, or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who executes an emergency certificate shall be held to that degree of skill and care ordinarily employed, under similar circumstances, by members of his profession in good standing in the same community or locality, and using reasonable care and diligence with his best judgment in the application of his skill. C.(1)(a) Any person who acts in good faith to assist in the apprehension or taking into protective custody, examination and confinement of a patient will not be subject to civil or criminal penalties, unless the damage or injury was caused by willful or wanton negligence or gross misconduct. This limitation of liability shall only apply to public and private general hospital personnel who within the preceding twelve-month period have received appropriate training in nonviolent crisis intervention and such training has been documented in their personnel files. The training shall be provided by an instructor who has attended a course in crisis intervention taught by a certified instructor. (b) Any public or private general hospital to which a patient has been transported pursuant to an order of protective custody or an emergency certificate or for the purpose of examination for an emergency commitment certificate shall not be held civilly liable or subject to criminal prosecution for damage or injury to the patient arising from the detention or treatment of the patient if the public or private general hospital personnel have used reasonable care and diligence and their best judgment in the application of their skills under similar circumstances in the same or a similar community or locality, unless the damage or injury was caused by willful or wanton negligence or gross misconduct. This limitation of liability shall only apply to public and private general hospital personnel who within the preceding twelve-month period have received appropriate training in nonviolent crisis intervention and such training has been documented in their personnel file. The training shall be provided by an instructor who has attended a course in crisis intervention taught by a certified instructor. (2) The provisions of this Subsection shall not affect the provisions of R.S. 40:2113.6 or the Federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, 42 U.S.C. 1395dd. (3) A person who willfully advises or participates in the making of a false application or certificate shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than two years or fined not more than ten thousand dollars, or both. D.(1) Any apprehension or taking into protective custody and confinement made by law enforcement officers, pursuant to any authorized procedure provided in this Title, is hereby declared to be an administrative act relative to the functions of their office, as required by law, and for which act they are specifically granted personal immunity. (2) Upon arrival at any treatment or examination facility, a law enforcement officer escorting a person apprehended or taken into protective custody and confinement under any provision of this Title shall be relieved of any further responsibility. Added by Acts 1977, No. 714, §1; Acts 1992, No. 120, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1302, §1, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 2005, No. 480, §1; Acts 2006, No. 664, §1; Acts 2018, No. 206, §1; Acts 2018, No. 402, §1. If you experience any technical difficulties navigating this website, contact the webmaster. P.O. Box 94062 (900 North Third Street) Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9062