§ 20-47-109 - Abuse of patients prohibited. - Arkansas Statutes

20-47-109. Abuse of patients prohibited.

(a) Employees, agents, servants, or officers of the Arkansas State Hospital are prohibited from striking, beating, abusing, intimidating, assaulting, or in any manner physically chastising any patient in the Arkansas State Hospital.

(b) (1) It shall be the duty of all employees, agents, servants, or officers of the Arkansas State Hospital, upon learning of a violation of subsection (a) of this section, to immediately notify, in writing, the Director of the Arkansas State Hospital.

(2) Upon receiving a written report of a violation of this section, the director shall immediately investigate the incident and submit a report of the result of his or her findings to the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board at the next regular meeting thereof.

(3) If the board finds the report to be true and finds that a violation of this section has occurred, the person so violating this section shall be forthwith dismissed from employment at the Arkansas State Hospital and shall be forever ineligible for further employment by the institution.

(4) If the board should determine after reading the report that a violation of the state's criminal laws has occurred, it shall immediately submit the report to the prosecuting attorney.