2007 Minnesota Statutes

148B.71 MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT BILL OF RIGHTS.
    Subdivision 1. Scope. All unlicensed mental health practitioners, other than those providing
services in a facility or program licensed by the committee or the commissioner of human
services, shall provide to each client prior to providing treatment a written copy of the mental
health client bill of rights. A copy must also be posted in a prominent location in the office
of the mental health practitioner. Reasonable accommodations shall be made for those clients
who cannot read or who have communication impairments and those who do not read or speak
English. The mental health client bill of rights shall include the following:
(a) the name, title, business address, and telephone number of the practitioner;
(b) the degrees, training, experience, or other qualifications of the practitioner, followed by
the following statement in bold print:
"THE STATE OF MINNESOTA HAS NOT ADOPTED UNIFORM EDUCATIONAL
AND TRAINING STANDARDS FOR ALL MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS. THIS
STATEMENT OF CREDENTIALS IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY."
(c) the name, business address, and telephone number of the practitioner's supervisor, if any;
(d) notice that a client has the right to file a complaint with the practitioner's supervisor, if
any, and the procedure for filing complaints;
(e) the name, address, and telephone number of the Office of Mental Health Practice and
notice that a client may file complaints with the office;
(f) the practitioner's fees per unit of service, the practitioner's method of billing for such fees,
the names of any insurance companies that have agreed to reimburse the practitioner, or health
maintenance organizations with whom the practitioner contracts to provide service, whether
the practitioner accepts Medicare, medical assistance, or general assistance medical care, and
whether the practitioner is willing to accept partial payment, or to waive payment, and in what
circumstances;
(g) a statement that the client has a right to reasonable notice of changes in services or
charges;
(h) a brief summary, in plain language, of the theoretical approach used by the practitioner
in treating patients;
(i) notice that the client has a right to complete and current information concerning the
practitioner's assessment and recommended course of treatment, including the expected duration
of treatment;
(j) a statement that clients may expect courteous treatment and to be free from verbal,
physical, or sexual abuse by the practitioner;
(k) a statement that client records and transactions with the practitioner are confidential,
unless release of these records is authorized in writing by the client, or otherwise provided by law;
(l) a statement of the client's right to be allowed access to records and written information
from records in accordance with sections 144.291 to 144.298;
(m) a statement that other services may be available in the community, including where
information concerning services is available;
(n) a statement that the client has the right to choose freely among available practitioners,
and to change practitioners after services have begun, within the limits of health insurance,
medical assistance, or other health programs;
(o) a statement that the client has a right to coordinated transfer when there will be a change
in the provider of services;
(p) a statement that the client may refuse services or treatment, unless otherwise provided
by law; and
(q) a statement that the client may assert the client's rights without retaliation.
    Subd. 2. Acknowledgment by client. Prior to the provision of any service, the client must
sign a written statement attesting that the client has received the client bill of rights.
History: 1991 c 292 art 2 s 61; 2000 c 460 s 35; 2005 c 147 art 8 s 4; 2007 c 147 art 10 s 15

NOTE: This section is repealed by Laws 2003, chapter 118, section 29, paragraph (a), as
amended by Laws 2004, chapter 279, article 5, section 10, and Laws 2005, chapter 147, article 8,
section 3, effective July 1, 2009. Laws 2003, chapter 118, section 29, paragraph (a), the effective
date, as amended by Laws 2004, chapter 279, article 5, section 10, and Laws 2005, chapter 147,
article 8, section 3.