2010 Tennessee Code
Title 33 - Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
Chapter 3 - General Rules Applicable to Service Recipients
Part 1 - General Rights of All Service Recipients
33-3-101 - Rights of persons under this title equal to those of other persons except as limited by this title.

33-3-101. Rights of persons under this title equal to those of other persons except as limited by this title.

(a)  No person shall be deprived of liberty on the grounds that the person has or is believed to have a mental illness, a serious emotional disturbance, a developmental disability, or is in need of service for such a condition except in accordance with the provisions of this title.

(b)  A person with mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or developmental disability has the same rights as all other persons except to the extent that the person's rights are curtailed in accordance with this title or other law.

(c)  A person with mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or developmental disability shall be provided services or supports, to the extent that facilities, equipment and personnel are available, in accordance with community standards. The chief officer shall keep records detailing services or supports received by each person. Records shall be preserved by the chief officer for not less than ten (10) years after termination of service. The records may be generated, maintained, or transferred in whole or in part to any recording medium that assures accurate preservation of the record. If a record is transferred from one medium to another, the source record may be destroyed upon determination by the chief officer that the reproduced record is true and correct and will be accurately preserved. The reproduced record is deemed to be the original record.

[Acts 2000, ch. 947, § 1; T.C.A. § 33-4-102; Acts 2002, ch. 730, § 23.]