§ 27-1A-11 — Division on alcoholism and drug abuse; powers and duties; definitions

(a) The division on alcoholism, heretofore established in the department of health, shall continue and be known as the division on alcoholism and drug abuse.

(1) The supervisor and personnel of this division shall assist the director of the department of health in the establishment of a program for the care, treatment and rehabilitation of alcoholics and drug abusers; for research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse; for the training of personnel to provide the requisite rehabilitation of alcoholics and drug abusers; and for the education of the public concerning alcoholism and drug abuse.

(2) The department's program for the care, treatment, and rehabilitation of alcoholics and drug abusers may include, when intended for such purposes, the establishment of special clinics or wards within, attached to, or upon the grounds of one or more of the state hospitals under the control of the department of health; the acquisition in the name of the department of real and personal property and the construction of buildings and other facilities; the leasing of suitable clinics, hospitals or other facilities; and the utilization, through contracts or otherwise, of the available services and assistance of any professional or nonprofessional persons, groups, organizations or institutions in the development, promotion and conduct of the department's program.

(3) Neither the department of health nor the division on alcoholism and drug abuse shall be required to accept any alcoholic or drug abuser voluntarily seeking hospitalization for clinical or hospital care, treatment or rehabilitation; but the department may accept, pursuant to its adopted and promulgated rules and regulations, responsibility for clinical or hospital care, treatment or rehabilitation of any alcoholic or drug abuser through arrangements made voluntarily with the department by him or some person acting in his behalf: Provided, That any such person accepted by the department on a voluntary basis shall be charged a minimum fee unless he shows, to the satisfaction of the department, that he is unable to pay the fee: Provided, however, That the department shall accept all alcoholics and drug abusers committed by a mental hygiene commissioner or judicial officer in accordance with the procedures established by article six-a of this chapter: Provided further, That notwithstanding any provision in article five of this chapter which may be to the contrary, the supervisor of the division on alcoholism and drug abuse may specify the clinic or hospital to which the alcoholic or drug abuser shall be committed after a final commitment hearing provided in section four, article five of this chapter.

(4) The department's program of research into the causes, prevention and treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse may include the utilization, through contracts or otherwise, of the available services and assistance of any private and public professional or nonprofessional persons, groups, organizations or institutions, as well as cooperation with private and public agencies engaged in research in alcoholism or drug abuse or rehabilitation of alcoholics or drug abusers.

(5)(A) The department's programs shall also provide for the training of personnel to work with alcoholics and drug abusers and the informing of the public as well as interested groups and persons concerning alcoholism and drug abuse and the prevention and treatment thereof.

(B) The department shall train counselors who shall be responsible for working with youth and developing community programs for youth with drug and alcohol problems. Personnel shall be available to work with these youth in their community and school settings.

(C) The department shall provide at least two comprehensive outpatient programs for youth whose drug or alcohol problems make them a candidate for such programs as determined by qualified mental health professionals. At least one program shall serve a rural area. These programs shall include, at minimum: Educational lectures; codependency, peer group, individual and family counseling; services for at risk population; and relapse, prevention and after care programs. One such program shall be established by January 1, 1987, and a second program by July 1, 1987.

(6) The department may employ such medical, psychiatric, psychological, secretarial and other assistance as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(b) As used in this chapter or in section ten, article one, chapter sixteen of the code:

(1) "Alcoholic" means a person who suffers from alcoholism as defined in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(2) "Alcoholism" means a disease or illness characterized by psychological or physiological addiction to alcoholic beverages as manifested by: (A) The inability to control one's consumption of alcoholic beverages except through total abstinence or (B) the inability to control one's behavior when consuming alcoholic beverages, or (C) both.

(3) "Alcohol abuser" means a person whose use of alcohol has produced any of the effects described in subdivision (4) of this subsection.

(4) "Alcohol abuse" means the periodic, frequent or constant consumption of alcoholic beverages to the extent that one's health is substantially impaired or endangered or one's social or economic functioning is substantially disrupted.

(5) "Drug abuser" means a person who is in a state of psychic or physical dependence, or both, arising from the administration of any controlled substance, as that term is defined in chapter sixty-a of this code, on a continuous basis.

(6) "Drug abuse" means the use of any controlled substance as that term is defined in said chapter sixty-a, until such time as the user has become dependent upon or addicted to the same.

Legislative History

1986 Reg. Sess., HB1772; 1983 Reg. Sess., HB1540; 1971 Reg. Sess., SB176; 1963 Reg. Sess., SB56; 1957 Reg. Sess., SB182