HOUSE BILL No. 5623

 

 

February 21, 2018, Introduced by Rep. Glenn and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled

 

"Public health code,"

 

(MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211) by adding sections 2468, 2468a, 20195,

 

and 20195a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 2468. (1) A local health department shall establish a

 

violence prevention committee. At least 50% of the violence

 

prevention committee members must be employees of the local health

 

department who provide care directly to a patient. The local health

 

department shall ensure that the violence prevention committee

 

establishes, maintains, and annually reviews a written violence

 

prevention plan that includes at least all of the following:

 

     (a) The identification of risk factors contributing to violent

 

acts at the local health department and annual recommendations on

 

how to reduce each risk factor.


     (b) An annual violent act risk assessment for the local health

 

department that considers all of the following, as applicable:

 

     (i) The local health department's layout, equipment, access

 

restrictions, and lighting.

 

     (ii) Communication devices used by the local health

 

department, emergency response within the local health department,

 

and the sufficiency of the local health department's security

 

system, including, but not limited to, an alarm system.

 

     (iii) The crime rate in the area surrounding the local health

 

department.

 

     (iv) The impact of staffing at the local health department,

 

including, but not limited to, health professionals and security

 

personnel.

 

     (v) The unique needs and characteristics of the patients or

 

residents served by the local health department.

 

     (vi) A review of each record described in subsection (6).

 

     (c) A procedure for how an employee of the local health

 

department may report a concern or a violent act to the local

 

health department, how the report will be investigated by the local

 

health department, and how the local health department will inform

 

the employee of the result of the investigation and any corrective

 

action that will be taken by the local health department.

 

     (2) A local health department shall annually submit the

 

violence prevention plan developed under subsection (1) to the

 

department.

 

     (3) A local health department shall annually provide violence

 

prevention training to all employees of the local health department


and shall provide violence prevention training to a new employee of

 

the local health department within 60 days after the date of hire.

 

The training must include a review of all of the following:

 

     (a) The local health department's policy on workplace violence

 

prevention.

 

     (b) Techniques to deescalate situations and minimize violent

 

acts.

 

     (c) Appropriate responses to aggressive behavior, including,

 

but not limited to, the use of restraining techniques.

 

     (d) Requirements and procedures for reporting a violent act.

 

     (e) The location of a safety device and how to operate the

 

device.

 

     (f) Resources for coping with a violent act.

 

     (g) The rights of employees regarding a violent act and an

 

injury resulting from a violent act.

 

     (4) If an employee of a local health department provides care

 

directly to a patient, the local health department shall only use

 

the employee's first name on his or her identification badge.

 

     (5) A local health department shall post in the local health

 

department at least 1 sign stating that violent acts are not

 

tolerated. The sign must be posted in a conspicuous location that

 

is visible to the public. The local health department shall also

 

include on its admission forms a conspicuous statement indicating

 

that violent acts are not tolerated.

 

     (6) A local health department shall create and maintain a

 

record of a violent act, regardless of whether an injury resulted

 

from the violent act or who reported the violent act to the local


health department. A local health department shall retain the

 

record for a minimum of 5 years from the date the violent act is

 

reported to the local health department and shall make the record

 

available to an employee who was the victim of the violent act, the

 

employee's authorized representative, and the department, upon

 

request. Except as otherwise prohibited by law, the record shall

 

include all of the following:

 

     (a) The date, time, and location of the violent act.

 

     (b) The name and job title of the employee who was the victim

 

of the violent act, unless the employee indicates to the local

 

health department that he or she wishes to keep his or her identity

 

confidential.

 

     (c) The name of the individual who committed the violent act

 

and whether the individual was a patient of the local health

 

department, a visitor of the local health department, or an

 

employee of the local health department.

 

     (d) The nature of the violent act, including whether a weapon

 

was used.

 

     (e) If an injury during the violent act occurred, a

 

description of the injury.

 

     (f) The number of employees and the names of the employees who

 

were in the vicinity when the violent act occurred and their

 

actions in response to the violent act, if any.

 

     (g) The actions taken by the local health department in

 

response to the violent act.

 

     (7) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8), within 24

 

hours of receiving a report of a violent act, a local health


department shall report the violent act to the department and a

 

local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the local

 

health department where the violent act occurred if any of the

 

following are met:

 

     (a) The violent act results in an injury.

 

     (b) The violent act involves the use of a firearm or another

 

dangerous weapon.

 

     (c) The violent act presents an emergent threat to the

 

welfare, health, or safety of employees of the local health

 

department.

 

     (8) A local health department may report a violent act to the

 

department and a local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction

 

over the local health department where the violent act occurred if

 

the violent act was committed by an individual with a disability or

 

disease and the violent act was a clear and direct manifestation of

 

the individual's disability or disease.

 

     (9) A local health department shall not penalize an employee

 

in any manner for reporting a violent act to the local health

 

department or participating in the criminal prosecution of an

 

individual who commits a violent act.

 

     (10) As used in this section, "violent act" means a battery or

 

an assault of an employee of a local health department while the

 

employee is at work.

 

     Sec. 2468a. (1) Beginning January 1, 2020, and annually

 

thereafter, the department shall post a report on its website that

 

includes, but is not limited to, all of the following information

 

for the preceding calendar year:


     (a) The total number of violent acts reported to the

 

department under section 2468 and the name of each local health

 

department that filed a report with the department.

 

     (b) If the department conducted an inspection or investigation

 

due to a violent act reported to the department under section 2468,

 

the outcome of the inspection or investigation.

 

     (c) If a local health department violated section 2468, the

 

name of the local health department and the nature of the

 

violation.

 

     (2) The department shall ensure that the report required under

 

this section protects the confidentiality of an employee of a local

 

health department or a patient of a local health department.

 

     (3) As used in this section, "violent act" means that term as

 

defined in section 2468.

 

     Sec. 20195. (1) A health facility or agency shall establish a

 

violence prevention committee. At least 50% of the violence

 

prevention committee members must be employees of the health

 

facility or agency who provide care directly to a patient. The

 

health facility or agency shall ensure that the violence prevention

 

committee establishes, maintains, and annually reviews a written

 

violence prevention plan that includes at least all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) The identification of risk factors contributing to violent

 

acts at the health facility or agency and annual recommendations on

 

how to reduce each risk factor.

 

     (b) An annual violent act risk assessment for the health

 

facility or agency that considers all of the following, as


applicable:

 

     (i) The health facility's or agency's layout, equipment,

 

access restrictions, and lighting.

 

     (ii) Communication devices used by the health facility or

 

agency, emergency response within the health facility or agency,

 

and the sufficiency of the health facility's or agency's security

 

system, including, but not limited to, an alarm system.

 

     (iii) The crime rate in the area surrounding the health

 

facility or agency.

 

     (iv) The impact of staffing at the health facility or agency,

 

including, but not limited to, health professionals and security

 

personnel.

 

     (v) The unique needs and characteristics of the patients or

 

residents served by the health facility or agency.

 

     (vi) A review of each record described in subsection (6).

 

     (c) A procedure for how an employee of the health facility or

 

agency may report a concern or a violent act to the health facility

 

or agency, how the report will be investigated by the health

 

facility or agency, and how the health facility or agency will

 

inform the employee of the result of the investigation and any

 

corrective action that will be taken by the health facility or

 

agency.

 

     (2) A health facility or agency shall annually submit the

 

violence prevention plan developed under subsection (1) to the

 

department.

 

     (3) A health facility or agency shall annually provide

 

violence prevention training to all employees of the health


facility or agency and shall provide violence prevention training

 

to a new employee of the health facility or agency within 60 days

 

after the date of hire. The training must include a review of all

 

of the following:

 

     (a) The health facility's or agency's policy on workplace

 

violence prevention.

 

     (b) Techniques to deescalate situations and minimize violent

 

acts.

 

     (c) Appropriate responses to aggressive behavior, including,

 

but not limited to, the use of restraining techniques.

 

     (d) Requirements and procedures for reporting a violent act.

 

     (e) The location of a safety device and how to operate the

 

device.

 

     (f) Resources for coping with a violent act.

 

     (g) The rights of employees regarding a violent act and an

 

injury resulting from a violent act.

 

     (4) If an employee of a health facility or agency provides

 

care directly to a patient, the health facility or agency shall

 

only use the employee's first name on his or her identification

 

badge.

 

     (5) A health facility or agency shall post in the health

 

facility or agency at least 1 sign stating that violent acts are

 

not tolerated. The sign must be posted in a conspicuous location

 

that is visible to the public. The health facility or agency shall

 

also include on its admission forms a conspicuous statement

 

indicating that violent acts are not tolerated.

 

     (6) A health facility or agency shall create and maintain a


record of a violent act, regardless of whether an injury resulted

 

from the violent act or who reported the violent act to the health

 

facility or agency. A health facility or agency shall retain the

 

record for a minimum of 5 years from the date the violent act is

 

reported to the health facility or agency and shall make the record

 

available to an employee who was the victim of the violent act, the

 

employee's authorized representative, and the department, upon

 

request. Except as otherwise prohibited by law, the record shall

 

include all of the following:

 

     (a) The date, time, and location of the violent act.

 

     (b) The name and job title of the employee who was the victim

 

of the violent act, unless the employee indicates to the health

 

facility or agency that he or she wishes to keep his or her

 

identity confidential.

 

     (c) The name of the individual who committed the violent act

 

and whether the individual was a patient or resident of the health

 

facility or agency, a visitor of the health facility or agency, or

 

an employee of the health facility or agency.

 

     (d) The nature of the violent act, including whether a weapon

 

was used.

 

     (e) If an injury during the violent act occurred, a

 

description of the injury.

 

     (f) The number of employees and the names of the employees who

 

were in the vicinity when the violent act occurred and their

 

actions in response to the violent act, if any.

 

     (g) The actions taken by the health facility or agency in

 

response to the violent act.


     (7) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (8), within 24

 

hours of receiving a report of a violent act, a health facility or

 

agency shall report the violent act to the department and a local

 

law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the health facility

 

or agency where the violent act occurred if any of the following

 

are met:

 

     (a) The violent act results in an injury.

 

     (b) The violent act involves the use of a firearm or another

 

dangerous weapon.

 

     (c) The violent act presents an emergent threat to the

 

welfare, health, or safety of employees of the health facility or

 

agency.

 

     (8) A health facility or agency may report a violent act to

 

the department and a local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction

 

over the health facility or agency where the violent act occurred

 

if the violent act was committed by an individual with a disability

 

or disease and the violent act was a clear and direct manifestation

 

of the individual's disability or disease.

 

     (9) A health facility or agency shall not penalize an employee

 

in any manner for reporting a violent act to the health facility or

 

agency or participating in the criminal prosecution of an

 

individual who commits a violent act.

 

     (10) As used in this section, "violent act" means a battery or

 

an assault of an employee of a health facility or agency while the

 

employee is at work.

 

     Sec. 20195a. (1) Beginning January 1, 2020, and annually

 

thereafter, the department shall post a report on its website that


includes, but is not limited to, all of the following information

 

for the preceding calendar year:

 

     (a) The total number of violent acts reported to the

 

department under section 20195 and the name of each health facility

 

or agency that filed a report with the department.

 

     (b) If the department conducted an inspection or investigation

 

due to a violent act reported to the department under section

 

20195, the outcome of the inspection or investigation.

 

     (c) If a health facility or agency violated section 20195, the

 

name of the health facility or agency and the nature of the

 

violation.

 

     (2) The department shall ensure that the report required under

 

this section protects the confidentiality of an employee of a

 

health facility or agency or a patient or resident of a health

 

facility or agency.

 

     (3) As used in this section, "violent act" means that term as

 

defined in section 20195.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.