2023 -- S 0025
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LC000271
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ALCOHOLISM
Introduced By: Senators Miller, Euer, DiPalma, DiMario, and Valverde
Date Introduced: January 18, 2023
Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 23-1.10-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-1.10 entitled 1
"Alcoholism" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
23-1.10-4. Duties of department. 3
The department shall: 4
(1) Develop, encourage, and foster statewide, regional, and local plans and programs for 5
the prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons in cooperation 6
with public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals and provide technical assistance 7
and consultation services for these purposes; 8
(2) Coordinate the efforts and enlist the assistance of all public and private agencies, 9
organizations, and individuals interested in prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics 10
and intoxicated persons; 11
(3) Cooperate with the department of corrections and board of parole in establishing and 12
conducting programs to provide treatment for alcoholics and intoxicated persons in or on parole 13
from penal institutions; 14
(4) Cooperate with the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, board of 15
governors for higher education, schools, police departments, courts, and other public and private 16
agencies, organizations, and individuals in establishing programs for the prevention of alcoholism 17
and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and preparing curriculum materials for use at 18
all levels of school education; 19
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(5) Prepare, publish, evaluate, and disseminate educational material dealing with the nature 1
and effects of alcohol; 2
(6) Develop and implement, as an integral part of treatment programs, an educational 3
program for use in the treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, which program shall include 4
the dissemination of information concerning the nature and effects of alcohol; 5
(7) Organize and foster training programs for all persons engaged in treatment of alcoholics 6
and intoxicated persons; 7
(8) Sponsor and encourage research into the causes and nature of alcoholism and treatment 8
of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and serve as a clearing house for information relating to 9
alcoholism; 10
(9) Specify uniform methods for keeping statistical information by public and private 11
agencies, organizations, and individuals, and collect and make available relevant statistical 12
information, including number of persons treated, frequency of admission and readmission, and 13
frequency and duration of treatment; 14
(10) Advise the governor in the preparation of a comprehensive plan for treatment of 15
alcoholics and intoxicated persons; 16
(11) Review all state health, welfare, and treatment plans to be submitted for federal 17
funding under federal legislation, and advise the governor on provisions to be included relating to 18
alcoholism and intoxicated persons; 19
(12) Assist in the development of, and cooperate with, alcohol education and treatment 20
programs for employees of state and local governments and businesses and industries in the state; 21
(13) Utilize the support and assistance of interested persons in the community, particularly 22
recovered alcoholics, to encourage alcoholics to voluntarily undergo treatment; 23
(14) Cooperate with the department of transportation and related agencies both state and 24
local in establishing and conducting programs designed to deal with the problem of persons 25
operating motor vehicles while intoxicated; 26
(15) Encourage general hospitals and other appropriate health facilities to admit without 27
discrimination alcoholics and intoxicated persons and to provide them with adequate and 28
appropriate treatment; 29
(16) Encourage all health and disability insurance programs to include alcoholism as a 30
covered illness; 31
(17) Submit to the governor an annual report covering the activities of the department; and 32
(18) Establish alcohol and substance abuse prevention programs for students in 33
kindergarten through grade twelve (12), in accordance with ยง 35-4-18. The director shall make an 34
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annual report to the governor and the general assembly on the administration of the program and 1
shall submit to the governor and the general assembly the results of an independent evaluation of 2
the alcohol and substance abuse prevention program established in accordance with this section. 3
This evaluation shall address the following areas: 4
(i) Program development; 5
(ii) Implementation; 6
(iii) Impact; and 7
(iv) Recommendations for future needs; and 8
(19) The department, shall coordinate with the Rhode Island department of health and any 9
other appropriate public or private agencies, organizations, or individuals to propose revisions and 10
updates to this chapter. This shall include, but not be limited to, updates or revisions to statutory 11
language, definitions, and evidence-based best practices. The department shall report the proposed 12
revisions and updates, described in this subsection, to the general assembly and members of the 13
senate committee on health & human services and the house committee on health, education and 14
welfare on or before January 1, 2024. 15
SECTION 2. Section 23-10.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-10.1 entitled 16
"Emergency Commitment for Drug Intoxication" is hereby amended to read as follows: 17
23-10.1-3. General powers and duties. 18
(a) The department is charged with the execution of the laws relating to the emergency 19
admission and custody of drug intoxicated individuals. 20
(b) The department may adopt rules and regulations that it may deem necessary to carry 21
out the provisions of this chapter to insure the safety and promote the welfare of individuals 22
committed to its custody pursuant to this chapter. 23
(c) The department, shall coordinate with the Rhode Island department of health and any 24
other appropriate public or private agencies, organizations, or individuals to propose revisions and 25
updates to this chapter. This shall include, but not be limited to, updates or revisions to statutory 26
language, definitions, and evidence-based best practices. The department shall report the proposed 27
revisions and updates, described in this subsection, to the general assembly and members of the 28
senate committee on health & human services and the house committee on health, education and 29
welfare on or before January 1, 2024. 30
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 31
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ALCOHOLISM
***
This act would require the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities 1
and hospitals to coordinate with the department of health to propose revisions to sections of the 2
general laws relating to alcoholism and emergency commitment for drug intoxication, including 3
updates and revisions of statutory language and evidence-based best practices. 4
This act would take effect upon passage. 5
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