§ 54-38-05 — Duties of department

The department shall:
1. Study alcoholism and drug abuse and related problems, including methods and
facilities available for the care, custody, detention, treatment, employment, and
rehabilitation of resident alcoholics and drug dependent persons.
2. Promote meetings and programs for the discussion of alcoholism and drug abuse or
any of their aspects, disseminate information on the subject of alcoholism and drug
abuse for the guidance and assistance of individuals, courts, and public or private
agencies for the prevention of alcoholism and drug abuse, and inform and educate the
general public on problems of alcoholism and drug abuse, their prevention and
treatment, to the end that alcoholism and drug abuse may be prevented and that
persons suffering from alcoholism or drug dependency may be disposed to seek
available treatment.
3. Conduct, promote, and finance, in full or in part, studies, investigations, and research,
independently or in cooperation with universities, colleges, scientific organizations, and
public or private agencies.
4. Accept for examination, diagnosis, guidance, and treatment, insofar as funds permit,
any resident of the state coming to the department of that person's own volition for
advice and guidance. For purposes of this subsection, "any resident" includes
veterans and nonveterans who have a brain injury.
5. Establish, from time to time, policies governing the evaluation, acceptance, care, and
treatment of alcoholics and drug dependent persons.
6. Develop, through consultation with the director of the department of transportation, a
policy governing programs for persons who, subsequent to being convicted for traffic
offenses, are referred to educational courses on alcohol, drugs, and driving.