Title 23, Title 23 and Safety

For purposes of this chapter: (1) “Ablative lasers” or “ablative energy devices” means lasers intended to excise or vaporize the outer layer of skin. (2) “Advanced practice registered nurse” or “APRN” means a registered nurse who has an active, unrestricted advanced practice regi…

(a) Each medical spa shall appoint a medical director who shall be: (1) Trained in the indications for, and performance of, cosmetic medical procedures, including all medical devices or instruments that can alter or cause biological change or damage to the skin or subcutaneous ti…

The department shall, by July 1, 2026, promulgate rules and regulations necessary and not inconsistent with law to implement the purpose and intent of this chapter, which rules and regulations shall provide for, though not be limited to, the licensing of medical spas as healthcar…

The problem of alcoholism, with its attendant effects upon the economic condition of alcoholics and those dependent upon them, and the substantial physical deterioration brought about by the misuse of alcohol, has, as shown by the studies, become more and more a major concern of …

(a) An intoxicated person may come voluntarily to an approved public treatment facility for emergency treatment. A person who appears to be intoxicated in a public place and to be in need of help, if he or she consents to the proffered help, may be assisted to his or her home, an…

(a) An intoxicated person who (1) has threatened, attempted, or inflicted physical harm on himself or herself or another and is likely to inflict physical harm on himself or herself or another unless committed, or (2) is incapacitated by alcohol, may be committed to an approved p…

(a) A person may be committed to the custody of the department by the district court upon the petition of his or her spouse or guardian, a relative, the certifying physician, or the administrator in charge of any approved public treatment facility. The petition shall allege that …

(a) The registration and other records of treatment facilities shall remain confidential and are privileged to the patient. (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the director may make available information from patients’ records for purposes of research into the causes and treatmen…

(a) Subject to reasonable rules regarding hours of visitation which the director may adopt, patients in any approved treatment facility shall be granted opportunities for adequate consultation with counsel, and for continuing contact with family and friends consistent with an eff…

(a) If treatment is provided by an approved public treatment facility and the patient has not paid the charge for that treatment, the department is entitled to any payment: (1) Received by the patient or to which he or she may be entitled because of the services rendered; and (2)…

(a) Neither the state, municipality, nor other political subdivision of the state or municipality may adopt or enforce a law, ordinance, resolution, or rule having the force of law that includes drinking, being a common drunkard, or being found in an intoxicated condition as one …

If any provision of this chapter or the application of that provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this …

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the state Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42, applies to and governs all administrative action taken by the director.

All rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall be adopted in accordance with the procedures specified in chapter 35 of title 42, the Administrative Procedures Act.

As used in this chapter: (1) “Alcoholic” means a person who habitually lacks self-control as to the use of alcoholic beverages, or uses alcoholic beverages to the extent that his or her health is substantially impaired or endangered or his or her social or economic function is su…

(a) There is hereby created a program for individuals impaired by substance abuse related issues, as an alternative treatment/referral service to the emergency room department, to foster their entry into a continuum of care for treatment and recovery. This pilot program shall be …

The department may: (1) Plan, establish, and maintain treatment programs as necessary or desirable; (2) Make contracts necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers, including contracts with public and private agencies, organizations, an…

The department shall: (1) Develop, encourage, and foster statewide, regional, and local plans and programs for the prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons in cooperation with public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals and prov…

(a) The department shall establish a comprehensive and coordinated program for the treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons. The director shall divide the state into appropriate regions for the conduct of the program and establish standards for the development of the progr…

(a) The department shall establish standards for approved treatment facilities that must be met for a treatment facility to be approved as a public or private treatment facility, and fix the fees to be charged by the department for the required inspections. The standards may conc…

The director shall adopt and may amend and repeal rules for acceptance of persons into the treatment program, considering available treatment resources and facilities for the purpose of early and effective treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons. In establishing the rules…

(a) An alcoholic may apply for voluntary treatment directly to an approved public treatment facility. If the proposed patient is a minor or an incompetent person, he or she, a parent, a legal guardian, or other legal representative may make the application. (b) Subject to rules a…

As used in this chapter, the term: (1) “Employer” means those individuals or corporations with employees who have the potential to be exposed to blood-borne pathogens through a needlestick or other contaminated sharps; (2) “Engineering controls” means controls including sharps di…

The Needlestick Safety and Injury Prevention Act includes all aspects related to engineering controls, revision and updating of an exposure control plan and record keeping.

Sharps with engineered sharps injury protections shall include an array of devices that make injury involving a contaminated sharps less likely, and include, but are not limited to, syringes with a sliding sheath that shields the attached needle after use; needles that retract in…

Needleless systems provide an alternative to needles for the specified procedures, reducing the risk of percutaneous injury involving contaminated sharps and shall include, but are not limited to, intravenous medication delivery systems that administer medications or fluids throu…

Engineering controls shall include sharps with engineered sharps injury protections and needleless systems designed to reduce the risk of percutaneous exposure to blood-borne pathogens.

An exposure control plan will include requirements that employers document consideration and implementation of the safer medical devices that are appropriate, commercially available, and effective. No one medical device is appropriate in all circumstances of use. For purposes of …

Every employer is required to: (1) document annually in the exposure control plan consideration and implementation of appropriate commercially available and safer medical devices designed to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens; (2) solicit input f…

To serve as a tool in identifying high risk areas and evaluating devices, a sharps injury log will be established and maintained by the employer. The log will be for percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps. The information in the sharps injury log shall be recorded and mai…

For purposes of this chapter, “Hemophilia” means a bleeding tendency resulting from a genetically determined deficiency of a clotting factor in the blood.

The state department of health, referred to in this chapter as “the department”, shall establish a program for the care and treatment of persons suffering from hemophilia. This program shall assist persons who require continuing treatment with blood and blood derivatives to avoid…

The department shall: (1) Develop standards for determining eligibility for care and treatment under this program; (2) Extend financial assistance to persons suffering from hemophilia in obtaining blood, blood derivatives and concentrates, and other efficacious agents for use in …

The New England compact on radiological health protection, hereinafter called “the compact”, is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all other jurisdictions legally joining the compact, in the form substantially as follows: The purposes of this compact are to: (1) Promot…

The director of health shall formulate and keep current a radiation incident plan for this state, in accordance with the duty assumed pursuant to article III (a) of the compact contained in § 23-12.5-1.

The compact administrator for this state, as required by article VI of the compact contained in § 23-12.5-1, shall be the director of health.

This chapter shall be known as the “Rhode Island Ovarian Cancer Education, Detection, and Prevention Act”.

Ovarian cancer is a dangerous threat to the female population in the state as one in every fifty-five (55) women is stricken with the disease; three quarters (¾) of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed after the disease has reached advanced stages (3rd or 4th stage) and fifty perce…

The department of health, through the Rhode Island Cancer Council, is authorized and mandated to achieve and implement the following public health policy goals as they relate to ovarian cancer in Rhode Island: (1) The department of health, through the Rhode Island Cancer Council,…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “The Breast Cancer Act.”

It is found and declared as follows: (1) Breast cancer is a significant threat to the health of women. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, and causes the death of a woman in the United States every twelve (12) minutes. (2) The incidence of breast cancer cont…

(a) Through funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Rhode Island department of health is required to establish a program of free mammography screening according to American Cancer Society standards, and, where required, follow-up, diagnostic testing,…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as “The Firefighter Cancer Wellness Act.”

It is found and declared as follows: (1) Studies indicate that firefighters have a significantly higher risk of developing certain cancers due to exposure to toxins and chemicals. (2) The state of Rhode Island must take action to promote firefighter wellness and reduce the incide…

(a) The director of the department of health shall annually provide to the office of the state fire marshal information regarding cancer incidence among professional and volunteer firefighters, the increase in survival rates attributable to early detection and the availability of…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as “The Dense Breast Notification and Education Act.”