California Code, Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4132

(a) It is hereby declared that the provisions of this code reflect the concern of the Legislature that persons with mental health disorders are to be regarded as patients to be provided care and treatment and not as inmates of institutions for the purposes of secluding them from the rest of the public.

(b) Whenever any provision of this code heretofore or hereafter enacted uses the term “ inmate,” it shall be construed to mean “ patient.”