0940-05-06-.06
Service Recipient Rights In All Services And Facilities
Cite as Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-05-06-.06
(1)
The following rights shall be afforded to all service recipients by all licensees and are not
subject to modification:
(a)
Service recipients have the right to be fully informed before or upon admission about
their rights and responsibilities and about any limitation on these rights imposed by
rules of the facility. The facility must ensure that the service recipient is given
information about his or her rights that shall include at least the following:
1.
A statement of the specific rights guaranteed the service recipient by these rules
and applicable state and federal laws;
2.
A description of the facility’s complaint and grievance procedures;
3.
A listing of all available advocacy services;
4.
A copy of all general facility rules and regulations for service recipients; and,
5.
The information must be presented in a manner or format that promotes
understanding by service recipients of their rights and an opportunity must be
given to service recipients to ask questions about the information. If a service
recipient who is unable to understand this information at the time of admission
later becomes able to do so, the information must be presented to the service
recipient at that time. If a service recipient is likely to continue indefinitely to be
unable to understand this information, the facility must promptly attempt to
provide the required information to a parent, guardian, or other appropriate
person or agency responsible for protecting the rights of the service recipient;
(b)
Service recipients have the right to voice grievances to staff of the facility, to the
licensee, and to outside representatives of their choice with freedom from restraint,
interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal;
(c)
Service recipients have the right to be treated with consideration, respect and full
recognition of their dignity and individuality;
(d)
Service recipients have the right to be protected by the licensee from neglect; from
physical, verbal and emotional abuse (including corporal punishment); and from all
forms of misappropriation and/or exploitation;
(e)
Service recipients have the right to be assisted by the facility in the exercise of their
civil rights;
(f)
Service recipients have the right to be free of any requirement by the facility that they
perform services which are ordinarily performed by facility staff;
(g)
If residential services are provided, service recipients must be allowed to send personal
mail unopened and to receive mail and packages which may be opened in the
presence of staff when there is reason to believe that the contents thereof may be
harmful to the service recipient or others;
(h)
Service recipients have the right to privacy while receiving services;
MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL SERVICES
CHAPTER 0940-05-06
AND FACILITIES
(i)
Service recipients have the right to have their personal information kept confidential in
accordance with state and federal confidentiality laws;
(j)
Service recipients have the right to ask the facility to correct information in their
records. If the facility refuses, the service recipient may include a written statement in
the records of the reasons they disagree;
(k)
Service recipients have the right to be informed about their care in a language they
understand; and,
(l)
Service recipients have the right to vote, make contracts, buy or sell real estate or
personal property, or sign documents, unless the law or a court removes these rights.
(2)
The following rights must be afforded to all service recipients by all licensed facilities unless
modified in accordance with Rules 0940-05-06-.07 or 0940-05-06-.08:
(a)
Service recipients have the right to participate in the development of the service
recipient’s individual program or treatment plans and to receive sufficient information
about proposed and alternative interventions and program goals to enable them to
participate effectively;
(b)
Service recipients have the right to participate fully, or to refuse to participate, in
community activities including cultural, educational, religious, community services,
vocational and recreational activities;
(c)
If residential services are provided, service recipient must be allowed to have free use
of common areas in the facility with due regard for privacy, personal possessions, and
the rights of others;
(d)
Service recipients have the right to be accorded privacy and freedom for the use of
bathrooms when needed;
(e)
Service recipients shall be permitted to retain and use personal clothing and
appropriate possessions including books, pictures, games, toys, radios, arts and crafts
materials, religious articles, toiletries, jewelry and letters;
(f)
If residential services are provided and if married service recipients reside in the facility,
privacy for visits by spouses must be ensured, and if both spouses are service
recipients residing in the facility, they must be permitted to share a room;
(g)
If residential services are provided, service recipients have the right to associate and
communicate privately with persons of their choice including receiving visitors at
reasonable hours; and,
(h)
If residential services are provided, service recipients supported have the right to be
given privacy and freedom in the use of their bedroom/sleeping area.
(i)
Service recipients shall have the right to make and receive phone calls during
designated awake hours according to the facility’s policy.