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2009 SESSION
WHEREAS, hospital emergency rooms are on the front line of health care and serve a wide range of patients, including those who present with crime-related traumatic injuries, psychiatric issues, substance abuse dependency, and a wide variety of other medical conditions; and
WHEREAS, the number of people seeking emergency room care is increasing, and waiting times are growing, resulting in a stressful environment for frustrated patients and their families, which can lead to a greater likelihood of violent incidents; and
WHEREAS, there is growing concern among persons who work in hospital emergency rooms about emergency room violence; and
WHEREAS, hospitals have employed a variety of approaches in an attempt to curb emergency room violence; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Crime Commission be directed to (i) research the public safety issues that exist in hospital emergency rooms, including the occurrence of violent incidents in hospital emergency rooms across the Commonwealth, (ii) compile strategies that can be used by hospitals to prevent or deal with violent incidents, and (iii) identify the most effective methods of preventing emergency room violence and of dealing with violent incidents when they occur.
Technical assistance shall be provided to the Crime Commission by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Crime Commission for this study, upon request.
The Crime Commission shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2009, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2010 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the Crime Commission intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly’s website.