CHAPTER 58
PRIVATE ASYLUMS, HOSPITALS AND SOCIETIES
58.01 Private institutions for orphans, indigents and delinquent children.
58.05 Private institutions for persons who are mentally ill or retarded.
58.06 Private tuberculosis sanatoriums.
Ch. 58 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See s.
46.011 for definitions applicable to chs.
46,
48,
51,
55 and
58.
58.01
58.01
Private institutions for orphans, indigents and delinquent children. 58.01(1)(1) Any corporation organized for the establishment and maintenance of any hospital, asylum or other institution for the care and relief of sick, infirm, indigent or homeless persons, or for any similar charitable purpose may receive all such persons as shall be lawfully committed thereto or placed therein, and shall have and maintain the custody, care and control of such persons until lawfully discharged.
58.01(5)
(5) Any member of the clergy of good standing shall be granted reasonable facilities, at proper times and places, freely to minister and impart moral and religious instruction, according to the usages of his or her church or denomination, to every inmate of such institution belonging to such church or denomination, or who shall desire the member of the clergy to do so.
58.01(6)
(6) The officers designated therefor by the bylaws of such corporation may at any time discharge any adult inmate when, in their discretion, it is for the inmate's interest or the interest of the corporation.
58.01 History
History: 1991 a. 316.
58.05
58.05
Private institutions for persons who are mentally ill or retarded. 58.05(1)
(1) The articles of organization of any corporation organized under the laws of this state for the establishment and maintenance of any hospital or other institution for the care, treatment or relief of persons who are mentally ill or retarded may contain provisions authorizing it to receive general, special, permanent or temporary endowments and to secure the repayment of the same in accordance with the terms and conditions upon which they may be made by a mortgage upon its real or personal property, or both, or otherwise, in the manner in such articles provided.
58.05(2)
(2) Any person who is mentally ill or retarded may, upon the written request of his or her guardian, be committed to any such hospital or institution in the manner persons who are adjudged mentally incompetent are committed to the state hospitals; but the county in which such person resides shall be liable for his or her support, maintenance and treatment only when he or she has been committed upon the request of the county board, and such hospital or institution shall not be required to keep, care for or treat any person who is mentally ill or retarded longer than his or her guardian or friends or the county from which he or she shall have been committed shall defray the expenses of his or her care and treatment. Any person may voluntarily place himself or herself in such hospital, asylum or institution for care and treatment.
58.05(3)
(3) If at any time complaint is made to the department that any person is improperly confined in any such hospital, asylum or institution, the department shall examine into the case in such manner as it deems best; and if it shall appear to the department that such person is improperly confined it shall order the person's immediate release, and thereupon such person shall be released. The corporation owning or maintaining any such hospital, asylum or institution shall not, nor shall any officer or employe thereof, be liable for the detention of any person duly committed or detained at the request of the person's guardian or friends or of any county board unless such person shall have been detained after the department shall have ordered the person's release or after a court shall have directed the person's discharge; and such liability shall exist only for such detention as shall have occurred after the service of a copy of the order of such department or court upon the superintendent or other officer in charge of such hospital, asylum or institution.
58.05(4)
(4) Any letter, communication or complaint addressed to such department or to any member thereof by any inmate, employe or subordinate officer in any such hospital, asylum or institution shall be forthwith forwarded as addressed without interference therewith, breaking of the seal or reading thereof by any officer or employe therein.
58.05(5)
(5) Every such corporation shall, on or before the first day of each July make a report to the department for the preceding year, which shall be in form and substance as required by said department and be verified by the president of such corporation or the superintendent or other officer having charge of such hospital, asylum or institution.
58.05(6)
(6) Every such corporation that receives nonresident patients into a hospital, asylum or institution for care, treatment or relief shall execute to this state and file in the office of the secretary of state a bond in the sum and with the surety or sureties which the governor determines and approves, conditioned to indemnify the state and every county in the state against expense if the patient becomes indigent in this state. When a nonresident patient is discharged from the hospital, asylum or institution and leaves this state all liability of the corporation upon its bond on account of the patient ceases.
58.06
58.06
Private tuberculosis sanatoriums. Any private, philanthropic tuberculosis sanatorium organized on a nonprofit basis, if approved by the department, may admit patients committed to it by any county, or transferred to it by the department, or referred to it for outpatient service, in the manner and upon the terms provided by
ss. 252.08 and
252.10 except that the sanatorium may add actual interest expense to charges made for the cost of care to recover the costs in carrying the charges and 10% to the charges to generate sufficient earnings in addition to depreciation accruals to provide funds to cover replacement costs for buildings, fixtures and equipment.
58.07
58.07
Humane officers. 58.07(1)(1) The board or council of any town, village, city or county may appoint one or more humane officers and may appropriate money to carry on such programs and pay such salaries as the board or council deems necessary. Humane officers shall serve until their appointments are terminated by the board or council. The board or council shall report all appointments and terminations of appointments to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. Before appointing any humane officer the board or council shall secure the recommendations of any humane society existing within such county or municipality. The board or council may appropriate to humane societies any sums of money deemed needful for the prosecution within their respective boundaries of the work for which they were organized.
58.07(2)
(2) The board or council shall prescribe the duties of such officers, which shall include the enforcement of
s. 95.21 and
chs. 174 and
951.Humane officers are vested with the powers of police officers or constables within their counties or municipalities for the purpose of carrying out their duties.
58.07(3)
(3) The appointment of any humane society superintendent, agent or officer which has been approved by the governor prior to March 15, 1970, shall remain in full force until terminated by such humane society and such superintendent, officer or agent shall have the same powers and duties as appointees under this section.
58.07(4)
(4) No humane officer may buy or sell animals for private and personal gain which come into the officer's custody in the course of carrying out the officer's official duties.
