Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 450 - Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services › Chapter 15 - Consumer Rights › Subchapter 3 - Consumer Rights › Part 1 - MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE SERVICES CONSUMER BILL OF RIGHTS › Section 450:15-3-6 - Communications and social contacts

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
				  Consumers in inpatient settings are encouraged to engage with family and
				  friends. Consumers are entitled to correspondence and visitation when
				  clinically appropriate.
(b)
				  Consumers admitted voluntarily and consumers admitted under emergency detention
				  status are entitled to unimpeded, private and uncensored communication with
				  persons of their choice unless a consumer's treatment team concludes that such
				  communication is not clinically appropriate and documents reasons for this
				  conclusion in the clinical record.
(c) Communication and visitation for all
				  consumers, by phone or face-to-face, with legal counsel or clergy shall not be
				  limited except as requested by individual attorneys or clergy
				  members.
(d) Consumers admitted
				  voluntarily and consumers admitted under emergency detention status shall be
				  allowed to contact one individual immediately upon entry into such place of
				  detention or admission for purposes of notification of the consumer's location
				  (43A O.S. § 5-201).
(e) Each
				  facility shall provide writing materials and reasonable amounts of postage to
				  ensure correspondence can be written and mailed for those consumers who cannot
				  procure these items. The facility director may establish procedures regarding
				  the mailing, delivery and opening of consumer mail if determined necessary for
				  security or safety. A consumer's correspondence may be restricted as determined
				  by the treatment team. Either occurrence shall be documented in the consumer's
				  clinical record.
(f) Each facility
				  shall establish in writing reasonable times and places for the use of
				  telephones and for visitation to consumers and treatment advocates. Each
				  facility shall post hours for visitation. Requests for telephone usage or
				  visitation outside the established hours shall be addressed on an individual
				  basis by the consumer's treatment team.
(g) Telephone usage and visitation may be
				  limited in addition to the provisions in (f) of this Section as determined by
				  the treatment team for therapeutic reasons, which shall be documented in the
				  clinical record. Limitations shall be reviewed at each treatment team meeting
				  and shall not continue longer than clinically necessary. Limitations shall not
				  be implemented for punitive reasons.
(h) Visitation using a HIPAA-compliant video
				  conferencing platform in addition to in- person visitation shall be used to
				  promote consumer engagement with family and friends when clinically
				  appropriate.
Amended at 10 Ok Reg
					 4093, eff 7-26-93; Amended at 16 Ok Reg 1478, eff 7-1-99; Amended at 19 Ok Reg
					 1363, eff 7-1-02; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 2110, eff 7-1-03; Amended at 21 Ok Reg
					 1726, eff 7-1-04; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1420, eff
					 7-1-07