71 Pa. Stat. § 557

Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 557 - Definitions

The following words and phrases when used in this subarticle shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"County." A county of the first class, second class, second class A, third class, fourth class, fifth class, sixth class, seventh class and eighth class.

"Death review team." A suicide or overdose death review team established under section 2128.

"Deceased individual." An individual who died by suicide or fatal overdose.

"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.

"Drug." A substance which produces a physiological effect when ingested or introduced into the body. The term includes an illicit or legal substance.

"EMS provider." The term includes the following:

(1) An emergency medical responder.
(2) An emergency medical technician.
(3) An advanced emergency medical technician.
(4) A paramedic.
(5) A prehospital registered nurse.
(6) A prehospital physician extender.
(7) A prehospital EMS physician.
(8) An individual prescribed by regulation of the department to provide specialized EMS.

"Health care provider." A physician, advanced practice nurse practitioner or physician assistant who is licensed to practice medicine in this Commonwealth.

"Hospital." An institution having an organized medical staff established for the purpose of providing to inpatients, by or under the supervision of physicians, diagnostic and therapeutic services for the care of individuals who are injured, disabled, pregnant, diseased, sick or mentally ill or rehabilitation services for the rehabilitation of individuals who are injured, disabled, pregnant, diseased, sick or mentally ill. The term includes facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of disorders within the scope of specific medical specialties.

"Law enforcement agency." The Pennsylvania State Police, a local law enforcement agency or the office of attorney general.

"Local department of health." Any of the following:

(1) A local department of health established by a municipality under the act of August 24, 1951 ( P.L. 1304, No.315), known as the Local Health Administration Law.
(2) A single-county department of health or joint-county department of health established under the local health administration law.

"Local law enforcement agency." A police department of a city, borough, incorporated town or township.

"Mental health provider." A psychiatrist, psychologist, advanced practice nurse practitioner with a specialty in psychiatric mental health, clinical social worker, professional clinical counselor or marriage and family therapist who is licensed to practice in this Commonwealth.

"Multicounty team." A multidisciplinary and multiagency suicide or overdose death review team jointly created by two or more counties in this Commonwealth.

"Municipality." A county, city, borough, incorporated town or township.

"Overdose." An alcohol or substance overdose.

"Overdose death." A fatality resulting from one or more substances taken in excessive amounts.

"Overdose death review." A process in which a multiagency, multidisciplinary team performs a series of individual overdose death reviews to effectively identify system gaps and innovative community-specific overdose prevention and intervention strategies.

"School." A facility providing elementary, secondary or postsecondary educational services. The term includes the following:

(1) A school of a school district.
(2) An area career and technical school.
(3) A joint school.
(4) An intermediate unit.
(5) A charter school or regional charter school.
(6) A cyber charter school.
(7) A private school licensed under the act of January 28, 1988 ( P.L. 24, No.11), known as the Private Academic Schools Act.
(8) A private school accredited by an accrediting association approved by the State Board of Education.
(9) A nonpublic school.
(10) An institution of higher education.
(11) A private school licensed under the act of December 15, 1986 ( P.L. 1585, No.174), known as the Private Licensed Schools ACt.
(12) A private residential rehabilitative institution as defined in section 914.1-A(c) of the act of March 10, 1949 ( P.L. 30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949.

"Substance use disorder." A pattern of use of alcohol or other drugs leading to clinical or functional impairment.

"Substance use disorder treatment provider." An individual or entity who is licensed, registered or certified within this Commonwealth to treat substance use disorders or who has a drug addiction treatment waiver under section 303(g) of the Controlled Substances Act ( Public Law 91-513, 84 Stat. 1236) from the SUbstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to treat individuals with substance use disorder using medications approved for that indication by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

"Suicide death." A fatality caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die.

71 P.S. § 557

Added by P.L. TBD 2022 No. 101, § 3, eff. 12/3/2022.