---
title: O.C.G.A. § 37-7-20. Admission of voluntary patients; parental consent to treatment; giving notice of rights to patient at time of admission.
collection: code
id: 37-7-20
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 37-7-20 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-7-20
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-7-20.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-7-20/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t37-t39-(v28)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=c6b9c518_0#page=284
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: MENTAL HEALTH / HOSPITALIZATION AND TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLICS, DRUG DEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS, AND DRUG ABUSERS / HOSPITALIZATION AND TREATMENT OF VOLUNTARY PATIENTS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 37-7-20. Admission of voluntary patients; parental consent to treatment; giving notice of rights to patient at time of admission.

(a) The chief medical officer of any facility may receive for observation and diagnosis any patient 12 years of age or older making application therefor, any patient under 18 years of age for whom such application is made by his parent or guardian, and any patient who has been declared legally incompetent and for whom such application is made by his guardian. If found to show evidence of alcoholism, drug dependence, or drug abuse and to be suitable for treatment, such person may be given care and treatment at such facility; and such person may be detained by such facility until discharged pursuant to Code Section 37-7-21 or 37-7-22. The parents or guardian of a minor child must give written consent to such inpatient treatment. An individualized treatment plan shall be developed for such person as soon as possible.

(b) Any individual voluntarily admitted to a facility under this Code section shall be given notice of his rights under this chapter at the time of his admission.

## History

Code 1933, § 88-404.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1971, p. 273, § 1; Code 1933, § 88-403.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 1856, § 1; Ga. L. 1979, p. 744, § 6.

## Cross References

Giving of consent for surgical or medical treatment generally, T. 31, C. 9.