Human Rights Officer; Human Rights Committee

(1) Human Rights Officer. Each facility shall have a person or person employed by or affiliated with the facility appointed to serve as the human rights officer and to undertake the following responsibilities: (a) To participate in training programs for human rights officers offered by the Department; (b) To inform, train and assist patients in the exercise of their rights; (c) To assist patients in obtaining legal information, advice and representation through appropriate means, including referral to attorneys or legal advocates when appropriate; and (d) In the case of Department facilities, to serve as staff to the facility’s human rights committee. The human rights officer must have no day-to-day duties that are in conflict with his or her responsibilities as a human rights officer, including carrying out fact-finding activities under 104 CMR 32.00: Investigation and Reporting Responsibilities. (2) Human Rights Committee. For each facility operated by, or under contract to the Department, the Commissioner or designee shall establish, impanel and empower a human rights committee in accordance with the provisions of 104 CMR 27.14. Such a human rights committee may be established jointly with other programs in an Area; provided however, that the number, geographical separateness or programmatic diversity of the programs is not so great as to limit the effectiveness of the committee in meeting the requirements of 104 CMR 27.14. (3) The majority of members of each human rights committee shall be current or former consumers of mental health services, family members of consumers, or advocates; provided however, that a member who has any direct or indirect financial or administrative interest in the facility or the Department shall notify the facility director or Commissioner, as applicable, in writing. (4) The general responsibility of each such human rights committee shall be to monitor the activities of the facility with regard to the human rights of the patients in the facility. The specific duties of the committee shall include: (a) Reviewing and making inquiry into complaints and allegations of patient mistreatment, harm or violation of patient’s rights and referral of such complaints for investigation in accordance with the requirements of 104 CMR 32.00: Investigation and Reporting Responsibilities; (b) Reviewing and monitoring the use of restraint, seclusion and other physical limitations on movement; (c) Reviewing and monitoring the methods utilized by the facility to inform patients and staff of the patient’s rights, to train patients served by the program in the exercise of their rights, and to provide patients with opportunities to exercise their rights to the fullest extent of their capabilities and interests; (d) Making recommendations to the facility to improve the degree to which the human rights of patients served by the facility are understood and enforced; and (e) Visiting the facility with prior notice or without prior notice provided good cause exists. (5) Each such human rights committee shall meet as often as necessary upon call of the chairpersons, or upon request of any two members, but no less often than quarterly. Minutes of all committee meetings shall be kept and shall be available for inspection by the Department upon request. The committee shall develop operating rules and procedures, as necessary.