(a)
Every person committed to a state hospital or other public or private mental health facility as a mentally disordered sex offender, who escapes from or who escapes while being conveyed to or from such state hospital or other public or private mental health facility, is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison or in the county jail not to exceed one year. The term imposed pursuant to this section shall be served consecutively to any other sentence or commitment.
(b)
The medical director or person in charge of a state hospital or other public or private mental health facility to which a person has been committed as a mentally disordered sex offender shall promptly notify the chief of police of the city in which the
hospital or facility is located, or the sheriff of the county if the hospital or facility is located in an unincorporated area, of the escape of the person, and shall request the assistance of the chief of police or sheriff in apprehending the person, and shall, within 48 hours of the escape of the person, orally notify the court that made the commitment, the prosecutor in the case, and the Department of Justice of the escape.