Except as provided in this Section, a recipient who resides in a mental health or developmental disabilities facility shall be permitted unimpeded, private, and uncensored communication with persons of his choice by mail, telephone and visitation.
(a) The facility director shall ensure that correspondence can be conveniently received and mailed, that telephones are reasonably accessible, and that space for visits is available. Writing materials, postage and telephone usage funds shall be provided in reasonable amounts to recipients who reside in Department facilities and who are unable to procure such items.(b) Reasonable times and places for the use of telephones and for visits may be established in writing by the facility director.(c) Unimpeded, private and uncensored communication by mail, telephone, and visitation may be reasonably restricted by the facility director only in order to protect the recipient or others from harm, harassment or intimidation, provided that notice of such restriction shall be given to all recipients upon admission. When communications are restricted, the facility shall advise the recipient that he has the right to require the facility to notify the affected parties of the restriction, and to notify such affected party when the restrictions are no longer in effect. However, all letters addressed by a recipient to the Governor, members of the General Assembly, Attorney General, judges, state's attorneys, Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, or the Agency designated pursuant to "An Act in relation to the protection and advocacy of the rights of persons with developmental disabilities, and amending Acts therein named", approved September 20, 1985, officers of the Department, or licensed attorneys at law must be forwarded at once to the persons to whom they are addressed without examination by the facility authorities. Letters in reply from the officials and attorneys mentioned above must be delivered to the recipient without examination by the facility authorities.(d) No facility shall prevent any attorney who represents a recipient or who has been requested to do so by any relative or family member of the recipient, from visiting a recipient during normal business hours, unless that recipient refuses to meet with the attorney.(e) Whenever, as the result of the closing or the reduction in the number of units or available beds of any mental health facility operated by the Department of Human Services, the State determines to enter into a contract with any mental health facility to provide hospitalization to persons who would otherwise be served by the State-operated mental health facility, the resident shall be entitled to the same rights under this Section.Amended by P.A. 097-1007,§ 5, eff. 8/17/2012.