§ 57-400. Special care unit.

A.  The Department of Corrections is hereby authorized to establish a unit at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary for the care and treatment of inmates, classified as maximum security, who are or become in need of acute psychiatric care.  The unit shall be hereinafter called the "Special Care Unit".  The Department shall have the following powers and duties in the operation thereof:

1.  The Department shall establish procedures to outline means of identification of inmates who are or become in need of acute psychiatric care and for assignment of such inmates to the Special Care Unit.  Prior to assignment there shall be a due process hearing conducted by the Department of Corrections to determine whether the inmate is in need of acute psychiatric care.  The inmate shall be entitled to have a staff representative appointed to represent him, if he so requests, but shall not have an attorney appointed or paid by the Department to represent him at the administrative hearing; and

2.  Once an inmate has been assigned to the Special Care Unit, treatment and medication may be administered to the inmate as provided in Section 5-204 of Title 43A of the Oklahoma Statutes.

B.  The Carl Albert Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Center shall provide to the Department of Corrections a psychiatrist as needed to assist in the Special Care Unit.

Added by Laws 1990, c. 245, § 4, emerg. eff. May 21, 1990.