Pennsylvania Statutes Title 62 P.S. Poor Persons and Public Welfare § 1101. Mental health: departmental powers and duties

(1) To administer and enforce the laws of this Commonwealth relative to mental health, the care, prevention, early recognition and treatment of mental illness, mental defects, epilepsy and inebriety, the licensing and regulation of institutions for the mentally ill, mentally defective and epileptic, the admission and commitment of patients to such institutions and the transfer, discharge, escape, interstate rendition and deportation of such patients.

(2) Subject to any inconsistent provisions in this act contained, approve or disapprove the advice and recommendations of the several boards of trustees of State mental institutions.

(3) To establish and administer a program designed to assist the juvenile courts and other public and private agencies, on their request, in the diagnosis and study of children with mental or behavioral problems, and to recommend to them the most appropriate disposition for the rehabilitation and treatment of such children; this program shall be based on review of local studies of the children but when local studies indicate the need, or when it is requested, may include residential study of the children in centers which the department is hereby authorized to establish and operate.