SUMMARY (C.G.S. Chapter 386g, Sec. 19a-265):
To view the complete law, please visit the Connecticut General Assembly website.
Purpose:
Helps ensure that people with potentially infectious TB are made noninfectious as quickly as possible.
- Helps ensure that people with TB complete their prescribed medical regimen.
- Prevents the emergence and spread of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB).
- Helps ensure that people who need help to comply with their TB treatment get assistance.
PRIMARY AUTHORITY:
The TB Control Law requires the local health director in the town in which the patient resides to work with the attending physician and the patient to develop and approve:
- A hospital discharge plan, if the patient has been hospitalized.
- An outpatient treatment plan.
PROGRESSIVE STEPS:
To be completed by the local health director in collaboration with: the state TB control program, the primary physician for the patient, and the patient. Steps must occur in this order. Each step has procedural requirements, with a time frame.
- Issue a warning for examination.
- Issue a warning for treatment.
- Issue a warning for DOT (Directly Observed Therapy).
- Issue an emergency commitment order for those who do not comply with the
above steps. - Petition the probate court for a judicial commitment order until therapy is complete.
ASSURANCES FOR THE PERSON WITH TB:
- A person will not be forced to swallow medications.
- All warnings and orders will be in a language that the patient can understand.
- A person subject to a probate court order has the right to appeal to superior court.
- Any action (for example, a warning for treatment, examination, or DOT) will be
supported by proper documentation. - All orders, applications and petitions of local health directors shall be kept
confidential. - A person who cannot afford legal counsel will have it provided for him/her.