§ 37-7-141. Patients’ Right to Legal Counsel
It shall be the responsibility of the department to see that every patient is given the opportunity to secure legal counsel at his own expense to represent him in connection with private, personal, domestic, business, civil, criminal, and all other legal matters in which he may be involved during hospitalization. History. Code 1933, § 88-402.15, […]
§ 37-7-142. Right of Patients to Communicate With Persons Outside Facility and to Receive Visitors; Inspection, Restriction, and Censorship of Patient Correspondence; Establishment by Chief Medical Officer of Regulations Governing Visits and Use of Telephones
Each patient in a facility shall have the right to communicate freely and privately with persons outside the facility and to receive visitors inside the facility. Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, each patient shall be allowed to receive and send sealed, unopened mail; and no patient’s incoming or outgoing mail shall be […]
§ 37-7-143. Patients’ Rights in Regard to Personal Effects; Liability of Facility’s Employees and Staff Members for Loss of or Damage to Patients’ Personal Effects
A patient’s rights to his personal effects shall be respected. The chief medical officer may take temporary custody of such effects when required for medical reasons. The facility shall make reasonable efforts to assure the safety of the patient’s belongings, but no employee or staff member shall be responsible for loss of or damage to […]
§ 37-7-92. Hearing; Notice; Waiver of Hearing; Apprehension and Detention of Patient Failing to Appear; Treatment Upon Waiver
Except when a hearing is waived as provided in this subsection, within 30 days after the filing of the petition under subsection (d) of Code Section 37-7-91, the court shall hold a full and fair hearing. At least ten days prior to that hearing, the court shall have served on the patient and the patient’s […]
§ 37-7-144. Patients’ Right to Vote
Each patient in a facility who is eligible to vote shall be given his right to vote in primary, special, and general elections and in referendums. The superintendent or regional state hospital administrator of each facility shall permit and reasonably assist patients: To obtain voter registration forms, applications for absentee ballots, and absentee ballots; To […]
§ 37-7-93. Court Order for Outpatient Treatment; Physician’s or Psychologist’s Petition to Extend Order; Review of Petition; Hearing on Extension Petition; Patients Under Juvenile Court Jurisdiction
Pursuant to Code Section 37-7-81.1 or Code Section 37-7-92, the court may order the patient to obtain available outpatient treatment for any period not to exceed one year, but the total period of involuntary treatment required by such order, including inpatient treatment within the limitations of Code Section 37-7-81.1, shall not exceed one year. If […]
§ 37-7-145. Employment of Patients Outside Facilities
If a patient wishes to be employed outside a facility and if such employment will aid in the patient’s treatment, he shall be assisted in his efforts to secure suitable employment and all benefits flowing from such employment. The department shall encourage such employment of patients and shall promote the training of patients for gainful […]
§ 37-7-94. Reviews of Individual Service Plans; Discharge of Patients From Treatment; Notice of Discharge
Each individualized treatment plan for available outpatient treatment shall be reviewed at regular intervals to determine the patient’s progress toward the stated goals and objectives of the plan and to determine whether the plan should be modified because of the patient’s present condition. These reviews should be based upon relevant progress notes in the patient’s […]
§ 37-7-146. Education of Children Undergoing Treatment in a Facility
The rights of any child under treatment in a facility to an appropriate education at public expense shall not be abridged during hospitalization; and the special educational needs of each child shall be individually considered and respected. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and the State Department of Education shall ensure that education […]
§ 37-7-95. Discharge of Patients Under Criminal Charges
Notwithstanding any other provisions of any part of this article, a patient under criminal charges, notice of which has been given in writing to the facility, may only be discharged from the physical custody of a facility if the facility, by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, provides written notification of the proposed discharge to […]