District of Columbia Code Division IV. Criminal Law and Procedure and Prisoners. § 24-614. Cost of treatment.

(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, if a person receives care, treatment, or any other services under this subchapter: (A) such person (or his estate); and (B) such person's father, mother, spouse, or adult children, shall be liable (each according to his ability, as determined by the Mayor, and in the order listed above) to reimburse the District of Columbia, for all or such part of the actual cost of providing such services, as the Mayor may require. The liability of any person described in clause (B) of this paragraph shall be determined by the Mayor after notice to such person that services have been or will be rendered under this subchapter and the Mayor has found that such person is able to reimburse the District of Columbia for all or a part of the cost of providing such services. Such person may not be held liable for the cost of any services rendered more than 90 days prior to the date of issue of such notice. The Mayor shall determine the ability of the person who received services under this subchapter (or his estate) or his father, mother, spouse, or adult children, as the case may be, to reimburse the District of Columbia, by an examination conducted under oath. In any one case the Mayor may conduct as many examinations as he determines are necessary to ascertain the ability of such person (or his estate) or his relatives to so reimburse the District of Columbia. In the case of a person committed under § 24-527 (a), the Mayor may conduct such examination at any time after a petition for such person's commitment is filed under such section; and in the case of a person committed under § 24-527 (b), such examination may be conducted by the Mayor at any time after the court serves notice of the hearing to be conducted under subsection (b) of such section. In all other cases the Mayor may conduct an examination at any time.

(2) Any person described in clause (B) of paragraph (1) of this subsection who is liable to the District of Columbia under this section may apply to the Mayor to have such liability waived. The Mayor may waive such liability if he determines that it would be unreasonable to impose such liability because of the desertion or neglect of such person by the recipient of services under this subchapter or because of other factors similarly affecting the relationship between such person and such recipient. The Mayor shall prescribe procedures for the filing and hearing of such application under this paragraph.