Virginia Law

Article 4. Miscellaneous and Penal Provisions.

Pursuant to § 19.2-13, the director, resident officers, policemen, and fire fighters of any hospital or training center may be appointed conservators of the peace on the hospital or training center property and shall have, in addition to the powers of conservators of the peace, authority to patrol and regulate traffic on all roadways and roads through hospital or training center property and to issue summons for violations thereof.

Code 1950, § 37-15; 1964, c. 298; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-148; 1972, c. 639; 1976, c. 671; 1977, c. 326; 2005, c. 716.

It shall be unlawful for any officer or employee of any hospital or training center or other person to maltreat or misuse any individual who is receiving services in any hospital or training center or who is on a day pass, family visit, or trial visit from a hospital or training center. Any officer or employee of any hospital or training center or other person who maltreats or misuses any individual who is receiving services in any hospital or training center or who is on a day pass, family visit, or trial visit from a hospital or training center is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 37-16; 1950, p. 901; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-150; 2005, c. 716; 2012, cc. 476, 507.

It shall be unlawful for any officer or employee of any hospital or training center or any other person to aid or abet in the escape or secretion of any lawfully admitted individual receiving services in any hospital or training center, while the individual is in the hospital or training center or on a day pass, family visit, trial visit, bond or escapement, or to willfully fail or refuse to return an individual on a day pass, family visit, or trial visit under his care and custody to any hospital or training center in which he is receiving services, having given written obligation to do so, when directed in writing to do so by the director of the hospital or training center. Any such officer or employee of any hospital or training center or any other person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 37-228; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-151; 2005, c. 716; 2012, cc. 476, 507.

It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct himself in an insulting or disorderly manner on the grounds of any hospital or training center or in any way to resist or interfere with any officer or employee of any hospital or training center in discharge of his duty. Any person who conducts himself in an insulting or disorderly manner on the grounds of any hospital or training center or in any way resists or interferes with any officer or employee of any hospital or training center in discharge of his duty is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 37-229; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-152; 1976, c. 671; 2005, c. 716.

It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or give alcoholic beverages to any individual receiving services in any hospital or training center, bring alcoholic beverages onto the premises of the hospital or training center, administer alcoholic beverages to any individual receiving services, or place alcoholic beverages or cause them to be placed where any individual receiving services may access them, except if the alcoholic beverages are prescribed by the director or physicians of the hospital or training center. Any such person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 37-230; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-153; 1972, c. 639; 1976, c. 671; 2005, c. 716; 2012, cc. 476, 507.

It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly and maliciously contrive or conspire to obtain without reasonable cause the admission of any person to any hospital or training center. Any person who knowingly and maliciously contrives or conspires to obtain without reasonable cause the admission of any person to any hospital or training center is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 37-230.2; 1964, c. 640; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-154; 2005, c. 716.

A. As used in this section:

"Credentialing entity" means a nonprofit organization that develops and administers professional certification programs according to standards of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences or standards endorsed by Oxford House, Inc.

"Level of support" means the level of support and structure that a recovery residence provides to residents, as specified in the standards of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences.

"Recovery residence" means a housing facility that is certified by the Department in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board and provides alcohol-free and illicit-drug-free housing to individuals with substance abuse disorders and individuals with co-occurring mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders that does not include clinical treatment services.

B. Every recovery residence shall disclose to each prospective resident its credentialing entity. If the credentialing entity is the National Alliance for Recovery Residences, the recovery residence shall disclose the level of support provided by the recovery residence. If the credentialing entity is Oxford House, Inc., the recovery residence shall disclose that the recovery residence is self-governed and unstaffed.

C. No person shall operate a recovery residence or advertise, represent, or otherwise imply to the public that a recovery residence or other housing facility is certified by the Department unless such recovery residence or other housing facility has been certified by the Department in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board. Such regulations (i) may require accreditation by or membership in a credentialing agency as a condition of certification; (ii) shall require the recovery residence, as a condition of certification, to comply with any minimum square footage requirements related to beds and sleeping rooms established by the credentialing entity or the square footage requirements set forth in § 36-105.4, whichever is greater; and (iii) shall require recovery residences to report to the Department any death or serious injury that occurs in the recovery residence.

D. The Department shall maintain a list of recovery residences on its website and shall provide (i) for each recovery residence included on such list, the credentialing entity; (ii) for recovery residences for which the National Alliance of Recovery Residences is the credentialing entity, the level of support provided by the recovery residence; and (iii) for recovery residences for which Oxford House, Inc., is the credentialing entity, a disclosure that the recovery residence is self-governed and unstaffed.

E. The Department may institute civil proceedings in the name of the Commonwealth to enjoin any person from violating the provisions of this section and to recover a civil penalty of at least $200 but no more than $1,000 for each violation. Such proceedings shall be brought in the general district or circuit court for the county or city in which the violation occurred or where the defendant resides. Civil penalties assessed under this section shall be paid into the Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Trust Fund established in § 37.2-318.

2019, c. 220; 2022, cc. 732, 755; 2024, c. 30.