Rhode Island General Laws 23-10.1-4. Emergency commitment
(a) Any police officer may take an individual into protective custody and transport him or her to the emergency room of any hospital if the officer has reason to believe that:
(1) The individual is intoxicated by drugs other than alcohol and as a result is likely to injure him or herself or others if allowed to be at liberty pending examination by a licensed physician; or
(2) The individual is in need of immediate assistance due to the use of drugs and requests the assistance.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 23-10.1-4
- Approved public treatment facility: means a treatment agency operating under the direction and control of the department or providing treatment under this chapter through a contract with the department. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-10.1-2
- Department: means the state department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-10.1-2
- Drug intoxication: means an altered physiological substance or psychoactive substances, in which normal functioning is seriously impeded. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-10.1-2
- in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
- Likely to injure him or herself or others: means :
(i) A substantial risk of physical harm to himself or herself as manifested by behavior evidencing serious threats of, or attempts at, suicide or by behavior which will result in serious bodily harm; or
(ii) A substantial risk of physical harm to other persons as manifested by behavior or threats evidencing homicidal or other violent behavior. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-10.1-2
- person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
- Physician: means a person duly licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy in this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-10.1-2
(b) A physician in charge of an emergency room of a hospital shall determine if any individual brought into the emergency room by a police officer, family member, or other interested person, requires emergency medical treatment for his or her condition or if the individual is appropriate for emergency commitment to an approved public treatment facility by reason of the grounds stated in this section.
(c) If a physician determines, upon examination, that an individual is medically stable and appropriate for emergency commitment to an approved public treatment facility, he or she shall make application for the individual’s admission to the approved public treatment facility.
(d) The application for admission shall state the circumstances under which an individual was taken into custody, brought to the emergency room, or brought to an approved public treatment facility and the reason for the physician’s determination that the individual needs emergency commitment for drug intoxication.
(e) Upon the request of any physician making application in writing under this section, it shall be the duty of any police department of this state or any governmental subdivision of this state to whom the request is made, to take into custody and transport the individual to the designated approved public treatment facility.
History of Section.
P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 14, § 20.