SECTION 130:14-3-1. Mail, telephone, visitation

(a)   Each inpatient is entitled to unimpeded, private, and uncensored communications with others by sealed mail and telephone and to visit with persons of the patient's choice, except as otherwise limited by this chapter or law. Toll charges for long distance telephone calls shall be the responsibility of the inpatient or the legal guardian.

(b)   The right of an inpatient to communicate by mail, email, or telephone or to visit with persons of the inpatient's choice may be limited by staff if:

(1)   the limitation is essential to prevent the inpatient from violating a law,

(2)   the limitation is essential to prevent substantial and serious physical or mental harm to the inpatient,

(3)   an individual has complained to the Center of previous telephone harassment by the inpatient and has requested that the inpatient be prevented from telephoning the individual in the future. In this instance, the limitation shall apply solely to telephoning the individual making the complaint.

(4)   an inpatient's legal guardian has requested that the inpatient not be allowed to communicate with specific individual(s).

(5)   a visitor's behavior is disruptive to the functioning of the Center, or

(6)   the limitation has been ordered by the Department of Human Services.

(c)   The Center shall not impose a limitation upon any patient regarding communications between the inpatient and the inpatient's attorney, physician clergy, official agencies and courts, except to the extent that reasonable times and places for use of telephones and visitation may be applied so long as they do not have the effect of making communications with these parties impracticable.

[Source: Added at 19 Ok Reg 2610, eff 7-11-02; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 2467, eff 7-25-10]