Rhode Island Mental Health Law: Patient Rights

A patient admitted or certified to this facility shall not be deprived of any constitutional, civil or legal rights solely because he or she has been admitted or certified to this facility, nor shall the certification or admission modify or vary any constitutional or civil rights.

These rights include, but are not limited to:

1. Privacy and dignity;
2. Civil service or merit rating or ranking and appointment;
3. Relating to the granting, forfeiture or denial of a license, permit, privilege or benefit pursuant to any law;
4. Religious freedom;
5. Be visited privately at all reasonable times by his or her personal physician, attorney and clergyperson, and by other persons at all reasonable times unless the official in charge of the facility determines either that a visit by any of the persons or a particular visitation time would not be in the best interests of the patient and he or she incorporates a statement for any denial of visiting rights in the individualized treatment record of the patient;
6. Be provided with stationery, writing material and postage in reasonable amounts and to have free, unrestricted, unopened and uncensored use of the mail for letters.

Source: Rhode Island Mental Health Law (40.1-5-5(f))

Download the Rhode Island Parents' Guide to Children's Mental Health (PDF)