Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0025 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- S 0025
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7	7	LC000271
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ALCOHOLISM
16	16	Introduced By: Senators Miller, Euer, DiPalma, DiMario, and Valverde
17	17	Date Introduced: January 18, 2023
18	18	Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services
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21	21	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
22	22	SECTION 1. Section 23-1.10-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-1.10 entitled 1
23	23	"Alcoholism" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
24	24	23-1.10-4. Duties of department. 3
25	25	The department shall: 4
26	26	(1) Develop, encourage, and foster statewide, regional, and local plans and programs for 5
27	27	the prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons in cooperation 6
28	28	with public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals and provide technical assistance 7
29	29	and consultation services for these purposes; 8
30	30	(2) Coordinate the efforts and enlist the assistance of all public and private agencies, 9
31	31	organizations, and individuals interested in prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics 10
32	32	and intoxicated persons; 11
33	33	(3) Cooperate with the department of corrections and board of parole in establishing and 12
34	34	conducting programs to provide treatment for alcoholics and intoxicated persons in or on parole 13
35	35	from penal institutions; 14
36	36	(4) Cooperate with the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, board of 15
37	37	governors for higher education, schools, police departments, courts, and other public and private 16
38	38	agencies, organizations, and individuals in establishing programs for the prevention of alcoholism 17
39	39	and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and preparing curriculum materials for use at 18
40	40	all levels of school education; 19
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44	44	(5) Prepare, publish, evaluate, and disseminate educational material dealing with the nature 1
45	45	and effects of alcohol; 2
46	46	(6) Develop and implement, as an integral part of treatment programs, an educational 3
47	47	program for use in the treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, which program shall include 4
48	48	the dissemination of information concerning the nature and effects of alcohol; 5
49	49	(7) Organize and foster training programs for all persons engaged in treatment of alcoholics 6
50	50	and intoxicated persons; 7
51	51	(8) Sponsor and encourage research into the causes and nature of alcoholism and treatment 8
52	52	of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and serve as a clearing house for information relating to 9
53	53	alcoholism; 10
54	54	(9) Specify uniform methods for keeping statistical information by public and private 11
55	55	agencies, organizations, and individuals, and collect and make available relevant statistical 12
56	56	information, including number of persons treated, frequency of admission and readmission, and 13
57	57	frequency and duration of treatment; 14
58	58	(10) Advise the governor in the preparation of a comprehensive plan for treatment of 15
59	59	alcoholics and intoxicated persons; 16
60	60	(11) Review all state health, welfare, and treatment plans to be submitted for federal 17
61	61	funding under federal legislation, and advise the governor on provisions to be included relating to 18
62	62	alcoholism and intoxicated persons; 19
63	63	(12) Assist in the development of, and cooperate with, alcohol education and treatment 20
64	64	programs for employees of state and local governments and businesses and industries in the state; 21
65	65	(13) Utilize the support and assistance of interested persons in the community, particularly 22
66	66	recovered alcoholics, to encourage alcoholics to voluntarily undergo treatment; 23
67	67	(14) Cooperate with the department of transportation and related agencies both state and 24
68	68	local in establishing and conducting programs designed to deal with the problem of persons 25
69	69	operating motor vehicles while intoxicated; 26
70	70	(15) Encourage general hospitals and other appropriate health facilities to admit without 27
71	71	discrimination alcoholics and intoxicated persons and to provide them with adequate and 28
72	72	appropriate treatment; 29
73	73	(16) Encourage all health and disability insurance programs to include alcoholism as a 30
74	74	covered illness; 31
75	75	(17) Submit to the governor an annual report covering the activities of the department; and 32
76	76	(18) Establish alcohol and substance abuse prevention programs for students in 33
77	77	kindergarten through grade twelve (12), in accordance with § 35-4-18. The director shall make an 34
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81	81	annual report to the governor and the general assembly on the administration of the program and 1
82	82	shall submit to the governor and the general assembly the results of an independent evaluation of 2
83	83	the alcohol and substance abuse prevention program established in accordance with this section. 3
84	84	This evaluation shall address the following areas: 4
85	85	(i) Program development; 5
86	86	(ii) Implementation; 6
87	87	(iii) Impact; and 7
88	88	(iv) Recommendations for future needs; and 8
89	89	(19) The department, shall coordinate with the Rhode Island department of health and any 9
90	90	other appropriate public or private agencies, organizations, or individuals to propose revisions and 10
91	91	updates to this chapter. This shall include, but not be limited to, updates or revisions to statutory 11
92	92	language, definitions, and evidence-based best practices. The department shall report the proposed 12
93	93	revisions and updates, described in this subsection, to the general assembly and members of the 13
94	94	senate committee on health & human services and the house committee on health, education and 14
95	95	welfare on or before January 1, 2024. 15
96	96	SECTION 2. Section 23-10.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-10.1 entitled 16
97	97	"Emergency Commitment for Drug Intoxication" is hereby amended to read as follows: 17
98	98	23-10.1-3. General powers and duties. 18
99	99	(a) The department is charged with the execution of the laws relating to the emergency 19
100	100	admission and custody of drug intoxicated individuals. 20
101	101	(b) The department may adopt rules and regulations that it may deem necessary to carry 21
102	102	out the provisions of this chapter to insure the safety and promote the welfare of individuals 22
103	103	committed to its custody pursuant to this chapter. 23
104	104	(c) The department, shall coordinate with the Rhode Island department of health and any 24
105	105	other appropriate public or private agencies, organizations, or individuals to propose revisions and 25
106	106	updates to this chapter. This shall include, but not be limited to, updates or revisions to statutory 26
107	107	language, definitions, and evidence-based best practices. The department shall report the proposed 27
108	108	revisions and updates, described in this subsection, to the general assembly and members of the 28
109	109	senate committee on health & human services and the house committee on health, education and 29
110	110	welfare on or before January 1, 2024. 30
111	111	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 31
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118	118	EXPLANATION
119	119	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
120	120	OF
121	121	A N A C T
122	122	RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ALCOHOLISM
123	123	***
124	124	This act would require the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities 1
125	125	and hospitals to coordinate with the department of health to propose revisions to sections of the 2
126	126	general laws relating to alcoholism and emergency commitment for drug intoxication, including 3
127	127	updates and revisions of statutory language and evidence-based best practices. 4
128	128	This act would take effect upon passage. 5
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