2015 -- S 0727

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LC001262

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- FREEDOM FROM PRONE

RESTRAINT ACT

     

     Introduced By: Senator Gayle L. Goldin

     Date Introduced: March 19, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND

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GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 72.11

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FREEDOM FROM PRONE RESTRAINT ACT

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     42-72.11-1. Short title. -- This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Freedom

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from Prone Restraint Act."

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     42-72.11-2. Fundamental purpose. -- This chapter is enacted to protect and promote the

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right of each person who is served by a covered facility to be free from the use of prone restraint.

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Research has shown that prone restraint is a hazardous and potentially lethal position.

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     42-72.11-3. Definitions. -- For the purpose of this chapter:

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     (1) "Service provider" means any person employed or contracted by a covered facility to

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provide support or care, residential support, education, health care, treatment, or direct

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supervision.

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     (2) "Covered facility" means any agency, organization, or public or private entity,

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regardless of the state agency under whose authority its license or certification is established, that

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provides support or care, residential support, education, health care, treatment, or direct

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supervision. "Covered facility" does not include any law enforcement department, the department

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of corrections, the training school for youth, or the forensic unit at the Eleanor Slater Hospital.

 

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     (3) Prone restraint" means a restraint or hold that limits or controls the movement or

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normal functioning of any portion, or all, of an individual's body while the individual is in a face-

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down position.

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     42-72.11-4. Use of restraints. – No service provider of any covered facility may use a

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prone restraint at anytime.

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     42-72.11-5. Training and policies. – Each covered facility shall:

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     (1) Develop policies and procedures that establish monitoring, documentation, reporting,

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and internal review of the use of restraint in accordance with this chapter.

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     (2) Require nationally recognized training of all service providers in the

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reduction/elimination of restraint and seclusion. The training shall be approved by the director of

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the state agency that has supervisory control over the covered facility. The training shall include,

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but not be limited to:

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     (i) Leadership towards organization change;

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     (ii) Use of data to inform practice;

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     (iii) Work force development;

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     (iv) Use of prevention tools, including positive behavior interventions and de-escalation;

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     (v) Inclusion of individuals, families, and advocates; and

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     (vi) Debriefing techniques and outcomes.

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     (3) Make the policies and procedures required under subsection (1) of this section

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available to the director of the state agency that has jurisdiction or supervisory control over the

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covered facility.

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     42-72.11-6. Study commission. – (a) A joint legislative study commission is hereby

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created to study the restraint reporting requirements of each of the covered facilities and make

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recommendations to ensure that reporting is as uniform as possible and appropriate data is

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collected to inform practice and policy decisions.

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     (b) The study commission will be compromised of fourteen (14) members: one member

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of the house of representatives, to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one member of the

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senate, to be appointed by the president of the senate; two (2) of whom shall be individuals

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restrained by a covered facility or knowledgeable about restraint, one of whom to be appointed by

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the speaker of the house and one of whom to be appointed by the president of the senate; two (2)

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of whom shall be family members of individuals restrained by a covered facility or

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knowledgeable about restraint, one of whom to be appointed by the speaker of the house and one

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of whom to be appointed by the president of the senate; one of whom shall be the director of the

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department of children, youth, and families, or designee; one of whom shall be the commissioner

 

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of the department of elementary and secondary education, or designee; one of whom shall be the

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director of the department of behavioral health care developmental disabilities and hospitals, or

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designee; one of whom shall be the director of the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, or

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designee; one of whom shall the be director of the Rhode Island developmental disabilities

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council, or designee; one of whom shall be the director of the disability law center, or designee;

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one of whom shall be the director of Bradley Hospital, or designee; and one of whom shall be the

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director of the hospital association of Rhode Island, or designee.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by an act of the general

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assembly, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu of

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a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

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is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

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Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

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     (c) Upon passage of this act, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of the

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speaker of the house and president of the senate and organize and shall select, from among the

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legislators, a chairperson.

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     (d) The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     (e) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary, and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this act.

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     (f) The joint commission on legislative services is hereby authorized and directed to

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provide suitable quarters for said commission.

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     (g) The commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the general

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assembly no later than February 1, 2016, and said commission shall expire on June 30, 2016.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- FREEDOM FROM PRONE

RESTRAINT ACT

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     This act would prohibit the use of prone restraints in certain facilities and would create a

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study commission to study prone restraint in covered facilities.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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