Individual Rights

While receiving treatment at a facility, your rights as a individual of services are guaranteed to you under Florida law. When you request or receive services, the network provider should give you written information regarding your rights. Your rights are as follows:

Right to Individual Dignity

You have the right to:

  • Be treated with respect at all times.
  • Be free from abuse and neglect.
  • Be free from exploitation, retaliation, and humiliation.
  • Have freedom of movement, unless it has been restricted as a part of your treatment or by a judge.
  • Have freedom of religion and practice.

Right to Treatment

You have the right to:

  • Appropriate treatment, regardless of your ability to pay.
  • Receive treatment in the least restrictive setting.

Right to Express and Informed Consent

You have the right to:

  • Consent or not consent to treatment, unless restricted by a judge or in an emergency. If you are under 18 years of age, your guardian must also be asked to give expressed and informed consent.
  • Be informed about the reason for your admission, your proposed treatment, any potential side effects of any treatment, your approximate length of stay, and other possible treatments.
  • Take back any consent to treatment, either verbally or in writing, by you, your guardian or guardian advocate.
  • If necessary, to be provided, though court, a guardian advocate to make decisions regarding your treatment.

Right to Quality Treatment

You have the right to:

  • Receive services that are skillfully, safely, and humanely administered.
  • Receive appropriate medical, vocational, social, educational, and rehabilitative services.

Right to Communication, Abuse Reporting, and Visits

You have the right to:

  •  Have visitors at reasonable hours, unless visits are restricted as part of your treatment.
  • Send and receive mail and use the telephone, unless restricted as part of your treatment.
  • Have access to a private telephone to report any possible abuse or neglect to the Florida Abuse Hot-line at 1-800-962-2873.

Right to Care and Custody of Personnel Effects

You have the right to:

  • Have your personal clothing and belongings, unless restricted as part of your treatment.
  • Have written inventory of any of your personal clothing or belongings that are taken from you.

Right to Vote in Public Elections

You have the right to:

  • Vote in all public elections, if eligible.
  • Be assisted in registering to vote and in voting.
  • Know there is a procedure for you to obtain a voter registration form and application for absentee ballots.

Right to Ask for a Court Order (A Writ of Habeas Corpus)

You have the right to:

  • Question the cause and legality of your being detained.
  • Ask the circuit court to order your release.

Right to Clinical Records

You have the right to:

  • Have reasonable access to your own records.
  • Authorize release of information to people or agencies.
  • Have your records kept confidential.

Right to Education for Children

You have the right to:

  • Receive educations as appropriate and in the least restrictive setting possible in accordance with Chapter 232.0(1)€, Florida Statures.

Right to Designate Representatives

You have the right to:

  • Designate a person to receive any required notices.

Right to Participate in Treatment and Discharge Planning

You have the right to:

  • Help make decisions about your treatment and provide written comments on your treatment plan.
  • Informed consent or refusal of expression of choice regarding the composition of the service delivery team.
  • Help make plans for your discharge.