State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Rhode-island > Title-40-1 > Chapter-40-1-5-3 > 40-1-5-3-17SECTION 40.1-5.3-17
§ 40.1-5.3-17 Penalties for deprivation ofrights – Disciplinary action – Duty to report. – (a) Any person who willfully withholds from or denies to a person committed toa facility pursuant to this chapter any of his or her rights as herein granted,shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not exceeding two thousand dollars($2,000) or imprisoned not exceeding two (2) years.
(b) Any employee of a facility who shall deny to or withholdfrom any person any right granted him or her by this chapter shall,independently of the above criminal sanctions, be subject to such disciplinaryaction as the officer in charge shall see fit to impose, after notice, ahearing, and a finding of a violation of the right.
(c) Any employee who has reasonable cause to believe that anassault or a battery has been committed upon a committed person shall make animmediate report, including the identity of parties and witnesses and detailsof the incident, to the director of the department of mental health,retardation, and hospitals or his or her designee. The director of thedepartment shall cause the report to be investigated immediately and furthershall notify the mental health advocate and appropriate law enforcementagencies of the results of the investigation. Any person who fails to make sucha report shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more thanfive hundred dollars ($500).
