2023 -- S 0025

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LC000271

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

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

"Alcoholism" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     23-1.10-4. Duties of department.

     The department shall:

     (1) Develop, encourage, and foster statewide, regional, and local plans and programs for

the prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons in cooperation

with public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals and provide technical assistance

and consultation services for these purposes;

     (2) Coordinate the efforts and enlist the assistance of all public and private agencies,

organizations, and individuals interested in prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics

and intoxicated persons;

     (3) Cooperate with the department of corrections and board of parole in establishing and

conducting programs to provide treatment for alcoholics and intoxicated persons in or on parole

from penal institutions;

     (4) Cooperate with the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, board of

governors for higher education, schools, police departments, courts, and other public and private

agencies, organizations, and individuals in establishing programs for the prevention of alcoholism

and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and preparing curriculum materials for use at

all levels of school education;

     (5) Prepare, publish, evaluate, and disseminate educational material dealing with the nature

and effects of alcohol;

     (6) Develop and implement, as an integral part of treatment programs, an educational

program for use in the treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, which program shall include

the dissemination of information concerning the nature and effects of alcohol;

     (7) Organize and foster training programs for all persons engaged in treatment of alcoholics

and intoxicated persons;

     (8) Sponsor and encourage research into the causes and nature of alcoholism and treatment

of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and serve as a clearing house for information relating to

alcoholism;

     (9) Specify uniform methods for keeping statistical information by public and private

agencies, organizations, and individuals, and collect and make available relevant statistical

information, including number of persons treated, frequency of admission and readmission, and

frequency and duration of treatment;

     (10) Advise the governor in the preparation of a comprehensive plan for treatment of

alcoholics and intoxicated persons;

     (11) Review all state health, welfare, and treatment plans to be submitted for federal

funding under federal legislation, and advise the governor on provisions to be included relating to

alcoholism and intoxicated persons;

     (12) Assist in the development of, and cooperate with, alcohol education and treatment

programs for employees of state and local governments and businesses and industries in the state;

     (13) Utilize the support and assistance of interested persons in the community, particularly

recovered alcoholics, to encourage alcoholics to voluntarily undergo treatment;

     (14) Cooperate with the department of transportation and related agencies both state and

local in establishing and conducting programs designed to deal with the problem of persons

operating motor vehicles while intoxicated;

     (15) Encourage general hospitals and other appropriate health facilities to admit without

discrimination alcoholics and intoxicated persons and to provide them with adequate and

appropriate treatment;

     (16) Encourage all health and disability insurance programs to include alcoholism as a

covered illness;

     (17) Submit to the governor an annual report covering the activities of the department; and

     (18) Establish alcohol and substance abuse prevention programs for students in

kindergarten through grade twelve (12), in accordance with § 35-4-18. The director shall make an

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annual report to the governor and the general assembly on the administration of the program and

shall submit to the governor and the general assembly the results of an independent evaluation of

the alcohol and substance abuse prevention program established in accordance with this section.

This evaluation shall address the following areas:

     (i) Program development;

     (ii) Implementation;

     (iii) Impact; and

     (iv) Recommendations for future needs; and

     (19) The department, shall coordinate with the Rhode Island department of health and any

other appropriate public or private agencies, organizations, or individuals to propose revisions and

updates to this chapter. This shall include, but not be limited to, updates or revisions to statutory

language, definitions, and evidence-based best practices. The department shall report the proposed

revisions and updates, described in this subsection, to the general assembly and members of the

senate committee on health & human services and the house committee on health, education and

welfare on or before January 1, 2024.

     SECTION 2. Section 23-10.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-10.1 entitled

"Emergency Commitment for Drug Intoxication" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     23-10.1-3. General powers and duties.

     (a) The department is charged with the execution of the laws relating to the emergency

admission and custody of drug intoxicated individuals.

     (b) The department may adopt rules and regulations that it may deem necessary to carry

out the provisions of this chapter to insure the safety and promote the welfare of individuals

committed to its custody pursuant to this chapter.

     (c) The department, shall coordinate with the Rhode Island department of health and any

other appropriate public or private agencies, organizations, or individuals to propose revisions and

updates to this chapter. This shall include, but not be limited to, updates or revisions to statutory

language, definitions, and evidence-based best practices. The department shall report the proposed

revisions and updates, described in this subsection, to the general assembly and members of the

senate committee on health & human services and the house committee on health, education and

welfare on or before January 1, 2024.

     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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     This act would require the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities

and hospitals to coordinate with the department of health to propose revisions to sections of the

general laws relating to alcoholism and emergency commitment for drug intoxication, including

updates and revisions of statutory language and evidence-based best practices.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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