Department of Mental Hygiene v. Schumpert

DEVINE, J. This is an appeal from that portion of an order in guardianship proceedings which denies an equitable lien on the property of Bertha M. Hicks, an incompetent person, for the entire amount of charges made for her care at Agnews State Hospital.

The petition of the Department of Mental Hygiene to the superior court prayed that the court allow the claim of the department in the sum of $4,343.80, and the further sum of $237 per month commencing February 1, 1962; that if there were not sufficient cash in the estate with which to make the payment, the court impose an equitable lien to secure the sum of $4,343.80, and such other sums as may become due, on certain real property in San Francisco. Following a brief hearing, the court directed the guardian to pay to the Department of Mental Hygiene $100 per month for the support of the incompetent, and ordered that said payment be secured by a lien on the real property, The department does not seek to exact payment in excess of $100 per month, but contends that it is entitled to an equitable lien to secure the balance of its charges.

Section 6650 of the Welfare and Institutions Code pro[631]vides, in part, that the estate of a mentally ill person shall be liable for the care, support, and maintenance of such person in a state institution of which he is an inmate. Section 6651 provides, in part, that the rate for the care, support, and maintenance of all mentally ill persons at state hospitals for the mentally ill shall be reviewed each fiscal year and fixed at the statewide average per capita cost of maintaining patients in all state hospitals, as determined by the Director of Mental Hygiene; and that the director may reduce, cancel, or remit the amount to be paid by the estate of a mentally ill person who is a patient of a state hospital for the mentally ill, on satisfactory proof that the estate is unable to pay the cost of such care, support, and maintenance or that the amount is uncollectible. Section 6655 provides, in part, that if any person committed to a state mental hospital has sufficient estate for the purpose, the guardian of his estate shall pay for his care, support, maintenance and necessary expenses at the mental hospital to the extent of the estate; that on the filing of a petition by the department in the court where the guardianship proceedings are pending, showing that the guardian has failed to pay for such care, support, maintenance, and expenses, the court, by order, shall direct the payment by the guardian; that if there is not sufficient money on hand in the estate to pay the claim of a state mental hospital for the care, support, maintenance, and expenses of the committed person, the court may, on petition of the guardian or of the department, order the guardian to sell so much of the property of the committed person as is necessary to pay for the care, support, maintenance, and expenses of the person at the mental hospital; and that payment for the care, support, maintenance, and expenses of a person at a state hospital shall not be exacted if there is a likelihood of the patient’s recovery or release from the hospital and payment will reduce his estate to such an extent that he is likely to become a burden on the community in the event of his discharge from the hospital.