Commission on Mental Health; composition; appointment and terms of members; organization; chairman; salaries

§ 21–502. Commission on Mental Health; composition; appointment and terms of members; organization; chairman; salaries (a) The Commission on Mental Health is continued. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia shall appoint the members of the Commission, and the Commission shall be composed of nine members. One member shall be a member of the bar of the court, who has engaged in active practice of law in the District of Columbia for a period of at least five years prior to his appointment. He shall be the Chairman of the Commission and act as the administrative head of the Commission and its staff. He shall preside at all hearings and direct all of the proceedings before the Commission. He shall devote his entire time to the work of the Commission. Eight members of the Commission shall be physicians who have been practicing medicine in the District of Columbia and who have had not less than five years’ experience in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. (b) Appointment of members of the Commission shall be for terms of four years each, which shall be staggered as provided by section 2 of the Act approved June 8, 1938 (chapter 326, 52 Stat. 625), under which, except for the original four-year term of the lawyer-member, staggered terms of one year for two members, two years for two members, three years for two members, and four year’s for two members, were made. (c) The physician-members of the Commission shall serve on a part-time basis and shall be rotated by assignment of the Chief 79 Stat. 752Judge of the court, so that at any one time the Commission shall consist of the Chairman and two physician-members. Physician-members of the Commission may practice their profession during their tenure of office, but may not participate in the disposition of the case of a person in which they have rendered professional service or advice. (d) The court shall also appoint an alternate lawyer-member of the Commission who shall have the same qualifications as the lawyer-member of the Commission and who shall serve on a part-time basis and act as Chairman in the absence of the permanent Chairman. (e) The salaries of the members of the Commission and its employees shall be fixed in accordance with the provisions of the Classification Act of 1949, as amended. The alternate Chairman shall be paid on a per diem basis at the same rate of compensation as fixed for the permanent Chairman.