I.-The regional psychiatric community is created on the initiative of the public hospital service health establishments and, under the conditions set out in article L. 3221-2-1, of the army hospital(s) present in the area concerned.
II – The agreement establishing the regional psychiatric community is drawn up by the legal representatives and the chairmen of the medical commissions of these establishments, in consultation with the paramedical bodies and the user representatives on the user commissions. The chair of the hospital medical committee is assisted by a psychiatrist if he or she is not a psychiatrist. In the case of army hospitals, staff occupying functions equivalent to those mentioned for health establishments participate in the preparation of the constituent agreement.
Public hospital service establishments may involve the other signatories of the territorial mental health contract, local health councils and local mental health councils in the preparation of the constituent agreement.
III – The agreement is signed by the legal representatives of the members of the territorial psychiatric community after obtaining the opinion of the competent bodies. In the case of army hospitals, it is signed by the hospital’s chief medical officer after authorisation from the Minister of Defence.
It is sent for approval to the Director General of the Regional Health Agency, who checks in particular that it complies with the provisions of the chapter. If no response is received within two months of receipt, the decision is deemed to be approved. The decision of approval, or the certificate of tacit approval, is published by the Director General of the Regional Health Agency.
The agreement establishing the regional psychiatric community is concluded for a period of five years, renewable on the same terms.