N.H. Admin. Code § Cor 304.02 - Secure Psychiatric Unit Inmate and Patient Management

(a) SPU patients and persons under departmental control shall be those who are so classified pursuant to RSA 622:40-48, RSA 171-B:2, RSA 135:17-a, I & II, RSA 135-C:34, RSA 651:8-b, RSA 651:9-a, RSA 651:11-a, RSA 623:1, or RSA 135-E:4& RSA 135-E:11 and are committed or transferred to an environment which provides for the safety and security of the public, the staff, and those committed.

(b) SPU patients and persons under departmental control shall be under supervision at all times when not in their rooms.

(c) SPU patients and persons under departmental control, when outside the boundaries of the SPU, shall be supervised to ensure the safety and security of the public, the staff, patients and persons under departmental control.

(d) Patients and persons under departmental control whose behavior and mental condition permit shall be fed in a communal dining area.

(e) If an individual patient or person under departmental control is disruptive, assaultive, violent, or dangerous within the constraints of the secure psychiatric unit and has demonstrated a propensity to throw his or her food or to use utensils as weapons, he or she shall be denied the utensils and wholesome and nutritious sandwiches or finger food shall be substituted for the regular food.

(f) SPU patients and persons under departmental control whose behavior and mental condition permit shall have in their possession in their rooms appropriate allowable property as detailed in the SPU handbook.

(g) The SPU shall be a 24-hour forensic treatment facility and the persons under departmental control housed within shall be provided with the services of a psychiatrist, or advanced registered nurse practitioner, an on-call physician, and 24-hour nursing coverage.

(h) Therapeutic recreational opportunities shall be offered to SPU patients and persons under departmental control if clinically indicated.

(i) SPU patients and persons under departmental control shall be provided the opportunity for religious counseling by ministers, priests, rabbis, or other religious representatives of organized faiths on a regular basis.

(j) SPU patients and persons under departmental control shall be provided the opportunity to participate in educational and vocational programs as clinically able.

(k) SPU patients and persons under departmental control shall have the opportunity to work when their level of functioning permits, consistent with security.

(l) SPU patients and persons under departmental control shall be provided access to law library materials and access to regular library materials. Books being transferred into the SPU shall be carefully searched to preclude the introduction of contraband through library materials.

(m) Property taken from a patient or person under departmental control shall be accounted for by the SPU property officer. A receipt will be made for any property removed from the possession of the patient or person under departmental control and the patient or person under departmental control shall be furnished a copy of the receipt.

(n) SPU patients and persons under departmental control shall be provided a weekly opportunity to list items they desire from the canteen. A list shall be provided to patients and persons under departmental control reflecting the items available to them from the canteen. If a patient or person under departmental control has the money to pay for the items listed by that patient or person under departmental control, and subject to a security screening of the items, they shall be picked up by staff and delivered to the patient or person under departmental control.

(o) SPU patients and persons under departmental control using the day rooms shall be afforded use of the collect-only telephones provided in the day room areas.

(p) SPU patients and persons under departmental control shall be afforded the opportunity to consult with their attorneys.

(q) SPU patients and persons under departmental control not under visiting restriction shall be allowed social visits to be conducted during scheduled visiting hours in a supervised visiting area provided in the SPU.

(r) Patients and persons under departmental control admitted to the SPU shall be photographed and fingerprinted for the purpose of positive identification.

Notes

N.H. Admin. Code § Cor 304.02

(See Revision Note at chapter heading for Cor 300) #7448, eff 2-6-01; ss by #9383, INTERIM, eff 2-3-09, EXPIRES: 8-3-09; ss by #9508, eff 7-8-09

Amended by Volume XXXVII Number 41, Filed October 12, 2017, Proposed by #12396, Effective 9/29/2017, Expires 3/28/2018. Amended by Volume XXXVIII Number 15, Filed April 12, 2018, Proposed by #12502, Effective 3/23/2018, Expires 3/23/2028.