Cal. WIC § 5300
This is the official text of Cal. WIC § 5300, part of California’s Welfare and Institutions Code — governs public social services, juvenile justice, and mental health/developmental disability services.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Official statutory text
(a) At the expiration of the 14-day period of intensive treatment, a person may be confined for further treatment pursuant to the provisions of this article for an additional period, not to exceed 180 days if one of the following exists:
(1) The person has attempted, inflicted, or made a serious threat of substantial physical harm upon the person of another after having been taken into custody, and while in custody, for evaluation and treatment, and who, as a result of a mental health disorder, presents a demonstrated danger of inflicting substantial physical harm upon others.
(2) The person had attempted, or inflicted physical harm upon the person of another, that act having resulted in the person being taken into custody and who presents, as a result of a mental health disorder, a demonstrated danger of inflicting substantial physical harm upon others.
(3) The person had made a serious threat of substantial physical harm upon the person of another within seven days of being taken into custody, that threat having at least in part resulted in the person being taken into custody, and the person presents, as a result of a mental health disorder, a demonstrated danger of inflicting substantial physical harm upon others.
(b) A commitment to a licensed health facility under this article places an affirmative obligation on the facility to provide treatment for the underlying causes of the person’s mental health disorder.
(c) Amenability to treatment is not required for a finding that a person is a person as described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (a). Treatment programs need only be made available to these persons. Treatment does not mean that the treatment must be successful or potentially successful, and it does not mean that the person must recognize the person’s problem and willingly participate in the treatment program.
(1) The person has attempted, inflicted, or made a serious threat of substantial physical harm upon the person of another after having been taken into custody, and while in custody, for evaluation and treatment, and who, as a result of a mental health disorder, presents a demonstrated danger of inflicting substantial physical harm upon others.
(2) The person had attempted, or inflicted physical harm upon the person of another, that act having resulted in the person being taken into custody and who presents, as a result of a mental health disorder, a demonstrated danger of inflicting substantial physical harm upon others.
(3) The person had made a serious threat of substantial physical harm upon the person of another within seven days of being taken into custody, that threat having at least in part resulted in the person being taken into custody, and the person presents, as a result of a mental health disorder, a demonstrated danger of inflicting substantial physical harm upon others.
(b) A commitment to a licensed health facility under this article places an affirmative obligation on the facility to provide treatment for the underlying causes of the person’s mental health disorder.
(c) Amenability to treatment is not required for a finding that a person is a person as described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (a). Treatment programs need only be made available to these persons. Treatment does not mean that the treatment must be successful or potentially successful, and it does not mean that the person must recognize the person’s problem and willingly participate in the treatment program.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in California?
Find a California lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.