2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 41 - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1929 - POWERS AND DUTIES

Session of 2021

No. 2021-41

HB 944

AN ACT

Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled "An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the Executive Department thereof and the administrative departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof, including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative officers, and of the several administrative departments, boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards, and commissions; providing for judicial administration; and prescribing the manner in which the number and compensation of the deputies and all other assistants and employes of certain departments, boards and commissions shall be determined," in powers and duties of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, further providing for powers and duties.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 2301-A of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended by adding a paragraph to read:

Section 2301-A.  Powers and duties.

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs shall have the power and its duty shall be:

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(8.1)  To require inpatient treatment facilities to notify as appropriate, by a method consented to by the patient, an emergency contact designated by a patient if the patient leaves a treatment facility against medical advice, provided that the patient has not revoked consent to notify the emergency contact. Notification must occur immediately and in no event later than 12 hours of a patient leaving against medical advice. Treatment facilities shall attempt to notify the emergency contact at least once and develop policies and procedures to implement this paragraph, which shall include advising patients of notifications required to be made by treatment facilities. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply where the treatment facility has knowledge of or reason to know of allegations of domestic abuse perpetrated upon the patient by the emergency contact. This paragraph may not be interpreted to hold the treatment facility liable beyond its duties therein.

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Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 30th day of June, A.D. 2021.

TOM WOLF