Rights & Advocacy

5 Fundamental Rights

 

THE FIVE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

Any consumer, client or patient in any program or facility which is licensed or funded by the Department of Mental Health is guaranteed by law the following:

Reasonable access to a telephone to make and receive confidential telephone calls and to assistance when desired and necessary to implement such right;

To send and receive sealed, unopened, uncensored mail;

To receive visitors of such person's own choosing daily and in private, at reasonable times. Hours during which visitors may be received may be limited only to protect the privacy of other persons and to avoid serious disruptions in the normal functioning of the facility or program and shall be sufficiently flexible as to accommodate individual needs and desires of such person and the visitors of such person;

To a humane psychological and physical environment. Each such person shall be provided living quarters and accommodations which afford privacy and security in resting, sleeping, dressing, bathing and personal hygiene, reading and writing and in toileting;

To receive at any reasonable time as defined in department regulations, or refuse to receive, visits and telephone calls from a client's attorney or legal advocate, physician, psychologist, clergy member or social worker, even if not during normal visiting hours and regardless of whether such person initiated or requested the visit or telephone call.

For the full text of the law, please visit

DMH Rights