Order of Protectivity Custody

Our Mental Health Services division provides an invaluable service to the citizens of this parish. Under state law, the coroner has the legal authority to commit anyone who is homicidal, suicidal, or gravely disabled. Our office stands ready, willing and able to exercise this authority to ensure that our community remains a safe one and to ensure that those citizens suffering from mental illness are appropriately treated.

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An Order of Protective Custody may be completed by a peace officer or other credible person when, to the best of his/her knowledge and belief, a person is mentally ill OR suffering from substance abuse and is in need of immediate treatment to protect the person or others from physical harm.

An Order of Protective Custody is for use with subjects who are unwilling to seek help on their own. If the subject is willing to seek help, he or she should go to the nearest Emergency Room, where they will receive appropriate evaluation and care. Do not bring patients to the Coroner's Office!

Orders of Protective Custody are valid for only 72 hours after signing. It is necessary to know where the subject is or will be during that time so that law enforcement can locate him or her. Law Enforcement will not "go look for" subjects who have had Orders of Protective Custody signed against them.

Any person desiring to submit a request for an Order of Protective Custody must contact the Coroner's Office at 985-781-1150, at which time they will be required to fill out and sign an affidavit which includes a statement of facts, including observations, leading to the conclusion that the person is mentally ill, dangerous to himself/herself or others, suffering from substance abuse, or gravely disabled.

The Order of Protective Custody allows law enforcement personnel to enter a residence where the subject is known to be, and take that subject, by force if necessary, to the nearest Emergency Room for a psychiatric evaluation. Upon arrival at the E.R., it is the E.R. Doctor's decision as to whether the subject requires further observation or whether the subject can be released. The St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office has no say in the decision to commit or not to commit. The St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office merely executes the legal order to take the subject against his or her will to the E. R. for evaluation.

An Order of Protective Custody is a legal affidavit. There is a penalty provided by LRS 28:63 (as amended by acts 2001-466) o