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246.014 Services.

The measure of services established and prescribed by section 246.012, are:

(1) There shall be served in state hospitals a single standard of food for patients and employees alike, which is nutritious and palatable together with special diets as prescribed by the medical staff thereof. There shall be a chief dietitian in the department of human services and at least one dietitian at each state hospital. There shall be adequate staff and equipment for processing, preparation, distribution and serving of food.

(2) There shall be a staff of persons, professional and lay, sufficient in number, trained in the diagnosis, care and treatment of persons with mental illness, physical illness, and including religious and spiritual counsel through qualified chaplains (who shall be in the unclassified service) adequate to take advantage of and put into practice modern methods of psychiatry, medicine and related field.

(3) There shall be a staff and facilities to provide occupational and recreational therapy, entertainment and other creative activities as are consistent with modern methods of treatment and well being.

(4) There shall be in each state hospital for the care and treatment of persons with mental illness facilities for the segregation and treatment of patients and residents who have communicable disease.

(5) The commissioner of human services shall provide modern and adequate psychiatric social case work service.

(6) The commissioner of human services shall make every effort to improve the accommodations for patients and residents so that the same shall be comfortable and attractive with adequate furnishings, clothing, and supplies.

(7) The commissioner of human services shall establish training programs for the training of personnel and may require the participation of personnel in such programs. Within the limits of the appropriations available the commissioner may establish professional training programs in the forms of educational stipends for positions for which there is a scarcity of applicants.

(8) The standards herein established shall be adapted and applied to the diagnosis, care and treatment of persons with chemical dependency or mental retardation who come within those terms as defined in the laws relating to the hospitalization and commitment of such persons, and of persons who have sexual psychopathic personalities or are sexually dangerous persons as defined in chapter 253B.

(9) The commissioner of human services shall establish a program of detection, diagnosis and treatment of persons with mental illness and persons described in clause (8), and within the limits of appropriations may establish clinics and staff the same with persons specially trained in psychiatry and related fields.

(10) The commissioner of employee relations may reclassify employees of the state hospitals from time to time, and assign classifications to such salary brackets as will adequately compensate personnel and reasonably assure a continuity of adequate staff.

(11) In addition to the chaplaincy services, provided in clause (2), the commissioner of human services shall open said state hospitals to members of the clergy and other spiritual leaders to the end that religious and spiritual counsel and services are made available to the patients and residents therein, and shall cooperate with all members of the clergy and other spiritual leaders in making said patients and residents available for religious and spiritual counsel, and shall provide such members of the clergy and other spiritual leaders with meals and accommodations.

(12) Within the limits of the appropriations therefor, the commissioner of human services shall establish and provide facilities and equipment for research and study in the field of modern hospital management, the causes of mental and related illness and the treatment, diagnosis and care of persons with mental illness and funds provided therefor may be used to make available services, abilities and advice of leaders in these and related fields, and may provide them with meals and accommodations and compensate them for traveling expenses and services.

HIST: 1949 c 512 s 3; 1953 c 561 s 1; 1967 c 839 s 4; 1973 c 507 s 45; 1980 c 357 s 16; 1980 c 614 s 126; 1980 c 617 s 47; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1985 c 21 s 9; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1994 c 1 art 2 s 23

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes