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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="10-705" title_number="10" title_name="Mental Health Law" subtitle_number="7" subtitle_name="Rights of Mentally Ill Individuals in Facilities">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Abuse” means cruel or inhumane treatment that causes:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Any physical injury; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Any of the following kinds of sexual abuse:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>A sexual act, as defined in § 3–301 of the Criminal Law Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>Sexual contact, as defined in § 3–301 of the Criminal Law Article; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>Vaginal intercourse, as defined in § 3–301 of the Criminal Law Article.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Abuse” does not include:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The performance of an accepted medical procedure that a physician orders in a manner that is consistent with the provisions of this subtitle; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>An action taken by an employee that complies with applicable State and federal laws and applicable Department policies on the use of physical intervention.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Sexual harassment” means intimidation, bullying, or coercion of a sexual nature or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive environment.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person or any employee of a facility or of the Department who receives a complaint of abuse, or who observes or has reason to believe that abuse has occurred, shall promptly report the alleged abuse to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>An appropriate law enforcement agency; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The administrative head of the facility, who promptly shall report the alleged abuse to an appropriate law enforcement agency.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A report:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>May be oral or written; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Shall contain as much information as the reporter is able to provide.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Within 24 hours after receiving the complaint, a facility that is a licensed residential treatment center, a State facility, or a hospital with a separately identified inpatient psychiatric service shall report a complaint of sexual abuse or sexual harassment of a patient receiving treatment in the residential treatment center or receiving inpatient psychiatric services to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Administration and the Office of Health Care Quality;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the complaint involves a minor, the Child Protective Services unit in the Department of Human Services; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The State designated protection and advocacy system.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Administration and the Office of Health Care Quality shall collaborate to develop and implement a uniform reporting system to be used by facilities in complying with paragraph (3) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The law enforcement agency shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Investigate thoroughly each report of an alleged abuse; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Attempt to ensure the protection of the alleged victim.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The investigation shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A determination of the nature, extent, and cause of the abuse, if any;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The identity of the alleged abuser; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Any other pertinent fact or matter.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>As soon as possible, but no later than 10 working days after the completion of the investigation, the law enforcement agency shall submit a written report of its findings to the State’s Attorney, the State designated protection and advocacy system, and the administrative head of the facility.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A person shall have the immunity from liability described under § 5–626 of the Courts Article for:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Making a report under this section;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Participating in an investigation arising out of a report under this section; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Participating in a judicial proceeding arising out of a report under this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A facility that is a licensed residential treatment center, a State facility, or a hospital with a separately identified inpatient psychiatric service shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Develop and implement policies and procedures on making and responding to allegations and complaints of sexual abuse or sexual harassment of patients receiving treatment in the residential treatment center or receiving inpatient psychiatric services;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Ensure that staff provide assistance to patients who have requested assistance in making complaints about sexual abuse or sexual harassment;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Develop and oversee training for staff on how to identify and prevent sexual abuse and sexual harassment, how to respond to complaints, and how to support victims in an appropriate manner; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Develop and oversee patient education on identifying sexual abuse and sexual harassment and on reporting incidents of sexual abuse and sexual harassment.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Administration shall ensure that the policies and procedures developed and implemented under paragraph (1) of this subsection are uniform for State facilities.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The Administration shall develop and implement a plan to secure the sleeping quarters of male and female patients at all State facilities that maximizes the use of available resources and infrastructure.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>Each facility that is a licensed residential treatment center, a State facility, or a hospital with a separately identified inpatient psychiatric service shall, for patients receiving treatment in the residential treatment center or receiving inpatient psychiatric services:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Use evidence–based screening tools to identify on admission a patient’s risk of being a victim of sexual or physical abuse, or being a sexual or physical abuser, and shall consider the assessment of risk in making any unit and room assignment;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Adopt a written protection plan as part of a patient’s treatment plan if warranted by the patient’s risk of being a victim of sexual or physical abuse or being a sexual or physical abuser;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If possible, reassign any patient accused of sexual assault promptly to another unit and ensure that any alleged victim and the alleged assailant are not housed in the same unit;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Provide a patient who has a history of sexual trauma with treatment and education that is evidence–based or reflective of best practices to reduce the likelihood of the patient being the victim of repeated sexual abuse; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Ensure that designated clinical staff are trained in at least one trauma recovery modality that is considered to be a best practice.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>The Office of Health Care Quality shall enforce this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>The Department shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
