2024 -- S 2087 | |
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LC003811 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ALCOHOLISM | |
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Introduced By: Senators Miller, and Valverde | |
Date Introduced: January 12, 2024 | |
Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 23-1.10-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-1.10 entitled |
2 | "Alcoholism" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 23-1.10-4. Duties of department. |
4 | The department shall: |
5 | (1) Develop, encourage, and foster statewide, regional, and local plans and programs for |
6 | the prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons in cooperation |
7 | with public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals and provide technical assistance |
8 | and consultation services for these purposes; |
9 | (2) Coordinate the efforts and enlist the assistance of all public and private agencies, |
10 | organizations, and individuals interested in prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics |
11 | and intoxicated persons; |
12 | (3) Cooperate with the department of corrections and board of parole in establishing and |
13 | conducting programs to provide treatment for alcoholics and intoxicated persons in or on parole |
14 | from penal institutions; |
15 | (4) Cooperate with the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, board of |
16 | governors for higher education, schools, police departments, courts, and other public and private |
17 | agencies, organizations, and individuals in establishing programs for the prevention of alcoholism |
18 | and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and preparing curriculum materials for use at |
19 | all levels of school education; |
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1 | (5) Prepare, publish, evaluate, and disseminate educational material dealing with the nature |
2 | and effects of alcohol; |
3 | (6) Develop and implement, as an integral part of treatment programs, an educational |
4 | program for use in the treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, which program shall include |
5 | the dissemination of information concerning the nature and effects of alcohol; |
6 | (7) Organize and foster training programs for all persons engaged in treatment of alcoholics |
7 | and intoxicated persons; |
8 | (8) Sponsor and encourage research into the causes and nature of alcoholism and treatment |
9 | of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and serve as a clearing house for information relating to |
10 | alcoholism; |
11 | (9) Specify uniform methods for keeping statistical information by public and private |
12 | agencies, organizations, and individuals, and collect and make available relevant statistical |
13 | information, including number of persons treated, frequency of admission and readmission, and |
14 | frequency and duration of treatment; |
15 | (10) Advise the governor in the preparation of a comprehensive plan for treatment of |
16 | alcoholics and intoxicated persons; |
17 | (11) Review all state health, welfare, and treatment plans to be submitted for federal |
18 | funding under federal legislation, and advise the governor on provisions to be included relating to |
19 | alcoholism and intoxicated persons; |
20 | (12) Assist in the development of, and cooperate with, alcohol education and treatment |
21 | programs for employees of state and local governments and businesses and industries in the state; |
22 | (13) Utilize the support and assistance of interested persons in the community, particularly |
23 | recovered alcoholics, to encourage alcoholics to voluntarily undergo treatment; |
24 | (14) Cooperate with the department of transportation and related agencies both state and |
25 | local in establishing and conducting programs designed to deal with the problem of persons |
26 | operating motor vehicles while intoxicated; |
27 | (15) Encourage general hospitals and other appropriate health facilities to admit without |
28 | discrimination alcoholics and intoxicated persons and to provide them with adequate and |
29 | appropriate treatment; |
30 | (16) Encourage all health and disability insurance programs to include alcoholism as a |
31 | covered illness; |
32 | (17) Submit to the governor an annual report covering the activities of the department; and |
33 | (18) Establish alcohol and substance abuse prevention programs for students in |
34 | kindergarten through grade twelve (12), in accordance with ยง 35-4-18. The director shall make an |
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1 | annual report to the governor and the general assembly on the administration of the program and |
2 | shall submit to the governor and the general assembly the results of an independent evaluation of |
3 | the alcohol and substance abuse prevention program established in accordance with this section. |
4 | This evaluation shall address the following areas: |
5 | (i) Program development; |
6 | (ii) Implementation; |
7 | (iii) Impact; and |
8 | (iv) Recommendations for future needs; and |
9 | (19) The department, shall coordinate with the Rhode Island department of health and any |
10 | other appropriate public or private agencies, organizations, or individuals to propose revisions and |
11 | updates to this chapter. This shall include, but not be limited to, updates or revisions to statutory |
12 | language, definitions, and evidence-based best practices. The department shall report the proposed |
13 | revisions and updates, described in this subsection, to the general assembly and members of the |
14 | senate committee on health & human services and the house committee on health, education and |
15 | welfare on or before January 1, 2025. |
16 | SECTION 2. Section 23-10.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-10.1 entitled |
17 | "Emergency Commitment for Drug Intoxication" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
18 | 23-10.1-3. General powers and duties. |
19 | (a) The department is charged with the execution of the laws relating to the emergency |
20 | admission and custody of drug intoxicated individuals. |
21 | (b) The department may adopt rules and regulations that it may deem necessary to carry |
22 | out the provisions of this chapter to insure the safety and promote the welfare of individuals |
23 | committed to its custody pursuant to this chapter. |
24 | (c) The department, shall coordinate with the Rhode Island department of health and any |
25 | other appropriate public or private agencies, organizations, or individuals to propose revisions and |
26 | updates to this chapter. This shall include, but not be limited to, updates or revisions to statutory |
27 | language, definitions, and evidence-based best practices. The department shall report the proposed |
28 | revisions and updates, described in this subsection, to the general assembly and members of the |
29 | senate committee on health & human services and the house committee on health, education and |
30 | welfare on or before January 1, 2025. |
31 | SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ALCOHOLISM | |
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1 | This act would require the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities |
2 | and hospitals to coordinate with the department of health to propose revisions to sections of the |
3 | general laws relating to alcoholism and emergency commitment for drug intoxication, including |
4 | updates and revisions of statutory language and evidence-based best practices. |
5 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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