First Level Commitment Pilot Program

List of People Certified to Perform Examinations
(PDF, 90KB) 9/01/09

In June 2003, the North Carolina legislature passed Session Law 2003-178, House Bill 883. It directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a pilot program allowing up to five Local Management Entities (LME’s) to waive the current general statutes pertaining to the first level examinations for involuntary commitments performed by physicians and eligible psychologists. The pilot program permitted “a licensed clinical social worker, a masters level psychiatric nurse, or a masters level certified clinical addictions specialist to conduct the initial (first level) examinations of individuals meeting the criteria for commitment in G.S. 122C-261(a) or G.S. 122C-281(a)”. Carrying out this project has been delegated to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services. The legislation specified that a group of stakeholders would be involved to advise the Secretary in the development of staff competencies and privileges. This advisory group includes representatives from the following organizations.

• National Association of Social Workers
• North Carolina Council of Community Programs
• North Carolina Medical Society
• North Carolina Nurses Association
• North Carolina Psychiatric Association
• North Carolina Psychological Association
• North Carolina Society for Clinical Social Work
• North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board

Also involved are Local Management Entities (LMEs), which are part of the project.

People certified to perform these first level involuntary commitment examinations have successfully completed a rigorous training program.