2009 Rhode Island Code
Title 5 - Businesses and Professions
CHAPTER 5-63.1 - Reporting of Sexual Misconduct by Mental Health Professionals
§ 5-63.1-1 - Definitions.

SECTION 5-63.1-1

   § 5-63.1-1  Definitions. – As used in this chapter:

   (1) "Former patient" is a person who obtained a professional consultation or diagnostic or therapeutic service from a mental health professional within two (2) years prior to sexual contact with the mental health professional.

   (2) "Mental health professional" includes a licensed, an unlicensed, a certified, or an uncertified or an in-training:

   (i) Marriage and family therapist;

   (ii) Mental health counselor;

   (iii) Psychiatric nurse;

   (iv) Psychiatrist;

   (v) Psychologist;

   (vi) Social worker;

   (vii) Chemical dependency professional; or

   (viii) Any mental health or human service professional, or any other person licensed or unlicensed, certified or uncertified rendering or offering to render services for the purpose of treating, diagnosing or assessing mental or emotional disorders or distress, modifying behaviors, or alleviating problems pertaining to interpersonal relationships, work and life adjustment, and personal effectiveness which are caused by mental or emotional disorders or distress.

   (3) "Patient" is a person who obtains a professional consultation or diagnostic or therapeutic service from a mental health professional.

   (4) "Sexual abuse reporter" includes any mental health professional who has reasonable cause to believe that a patient or former patient of another mental health professional is having or has had sexual contact with that professional.

   (ii) "Sexual abuse reporter" does not include state employees who are exempted from the reporting requirements of § 5-63.1-2.

   (5) "Sexual contact" means any of the following, whether or not occurring with the consent of a patient or former patient:

   (A) Sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anal intercourse or any intrusion, however slight, into the genital or anal openings of the patient's or former patient's body by any part of the mental health professional's body or any object used by the mental health professional for that purpose, or any intrusion, however slight, into the genital or anal openings of the mental health professional's body by any part of the patient's or former patient's body or by any object used by the patient or former patient for that purpose, if consented to by the mental health professional;

   (B) Sustained kissing of the mouth or kissing or intentional touching by the mental health professional of the patient's or former patient's genital area, groin, inner thigh, buttocks, or breast or the clothing covering any of these body parts; or sustained kissing of the mouth or kissing or intentional touching by the patient or former patient of the mental health professional's genital area, groin, inner thigh, buttocks, or breast or the clothing covering any of these body parts if the mental health professional consents to the kissing or intentional touching;

   (C) Exhibition by the mental health professional in view of the patient or former patient of the mental health professional's genital area, groin, inner thigh, buttocks, or breast; Voyeurism by the mental health professional in the form of viewing the patient's or former patient's genital area, groin, inner thigh, buttocks, or breast;

   (D) Using the influence inherent in the mental health professional-patient or mental health professional-former patient relationship to induce the patient or former patient to engage in sexual contact with a third party.

   (ii) "Sexual contact" does not include conduct described in the definition of sexual contact that is in accordance with practices generally recognized as legitimate by the mental health professions, casual social contact not intended to be sexual in character, inadvertent touching, or conduct by a child protective investigator acting pursuant to chapter 11 of title 40.

   (6) "Subject" means the mental health professional named in a report as being suspected of having sexual contact with a patient or former patient or who has been determined to have engaged in sexual contact with a patient or former patient.