Section 44-9-90 - Powers and duties of Mental Health CommissionThe commission shall:
(1) form a body corporate in deed and in law with all the powers incident to corporations;(2) cooperate with persons in charge of penal institutions in this State for the purpose of providing proper care and treatment for mental patients confined in penal institutions because of emergency;(3) inaugurate and maintain an appropriate mental health education and public relations program;(4) collect statistics bearing on mental illness, drug addiction, and alcoholism;(5) provide vocational training and medical treatment which must tend to the mental and physical betterment of patients and which is designed to lessen the increase of mental illness, drug addiction, and alcoholism;(6) encourage the directors of hospitals and their medical staffs in the investigation and study of these subjects and of mental health treatment in general; and(7) provide a statewide system for the delivery of mental health services to treat, care for, reduce, and prevent mental illness and provide mental health services for citizens of this State, whether or not in a hospital. The system must include services to prevent or postpone the commitment or recommitment of citizens to hospitals.2008 Act No. 266, Section 4, eff 6/4/2008; 2000 Act No. 253, Section 1; 1979 Act No. 42 Section 1; 1952 (47) 2042; 1938 (40) 1665; 1920 (31) 704; 1915 (29) 147; 1871 (15) 672; 1827 (11) 322; R. S. 1780; G. S. 1585; Civ. C. '02 Section 2248; Civ. C. '12 Section 3355; Civ. C. '22 Section 5074; 1932 Code Section 6223; 1942 Code Section 6223; 1952 Code Section 32-954; 1962 Code Section 32-922.