The Rhode Island General Assembly has approved legislation that would require the state to revise its laws regarding substance use disorders and emergency commitment for drug intoxication.
“Some parts of our laws concerning substance use treatment are 40 or 50 years old. Besides containing language and terms that are now offensive and insensitive, they also need to be modernized to reflect today’s practices. Our laws should not perpetuate stigmas, and should be supportive of efforts to effectively treat people affected by substance use disorders,” said Chairman Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence).
The legislation was sponsored by Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Joshua Miller and Rep. Jennifer Boylan. It would require the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) to work with the Department of Health to propose revisions to the state’s statutes related to alcoholism and emergency commitment for drug intoxication. The changes would include updates to the statutory language and evidence-based best practices.
The bill would mandate that BHDDH provide its proposed changes to the General Assembly by Jan. 1, 2025. The changes could then be considered by the legislature during the next legislative session.
“Effective treatment and services for people with substance use disorders starts with effective policies. We recognize better today than when these laws were written that substance use disorders are a health issue, not a criminal matter. Getting leaders together to craft laws that approach it from that angle will direct our resources toward getting people the help they need, when they need it,” said Representative Boylan (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence).
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
