(A) No juvenile may be committed to an institution under the control of the Department of Juvenile Justice who is seriously handicapped by mental illness or retardation. If, after a juvenile is referred to the Reception and Evaluation Center, it is determined that the juvenile is mentally ill, as defined in § 44-23-10, or a person with intellectual disability to an extent that the juvenile could not be properly cared for in its custody, the department through the voluntary admission process or by instituting necessary legal action may accomplish the transfer of the juvenile to another state agency which in its judgment is best qualified to care for the juvenile in accordance with the laws of this State. This legal action must be brought in the juvenile’s resident county. The department shall establish standards with regard to the physical and mental health of juveniles whom it can accept for commitment.

(B) When the state agency to which a juvenile is transferred determines that it is appropriate to release from commitment that juvenile, the state agency must submit a request for release to the releasing entity. If the releasing entity does not grant the request to release the juvenile, the juvenile must be placed in an environment consistent with the provisions of this section.

(C) If a juvenile transferred to another state agency pursuant to this section is absent from a treatment facility without proper authorization, any state or local law enforcement officer upon the request of the director, or a designee, of the state agency to which the juvenile has been transferred and without the necessity of a warrant or a court order, may take the juvenile into custody and return the juvenile to the facility designated by the agency director or the designee.