Nursing Home Camera Law in Rhode Island: Electronic Monitoring Rights and Rules

You suspect something is wrong with how your parent is being treated at their nursing home. Maybe they have unexplained bruises. Maybe they seem frightened when certain staff come on shift. You want to put a camera in the room, but you don't know whether that's legal or how the facility will react.

Rhode Island passed an electronic monitoring law that took effect on January 30, 2025. It gives residents and their legal representatives the right to install cameras in nursing home and assisted living rooms — with specific consent requirements that both sides must follow.

What the Law Allows

A resident or their legal representative can install an electronic monitoring device — a camera, audio recorder, or both — in the resident's private room. The law applies to both nursing homes and assisted living facilities licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

The key word is "private room." The monitoring device goes in the resident's own living space, not in common areas, hallways, or dining rooms. The resident or their representative owns the device, installs it, and maintains it. The facility cannot charge for installation or impose conditions beyond what the law requires.

The Consent Process

The law doesn't allow covert monitoring. Before the camera can be activated, written consent is required using standardized DOH forms:

If the resident has a private room: The resident (or their legal representative, such as a power of attorney holder or guardian) signs the DOH Electronic Monitoring Device Consent Form authorizing the installation.

If the resident has a roommate: Both the resident and the roommate (or their respective legal representatives) must provide written consent using the official forms. The roommate has the right to refuse. If they refuse, the monitoring device cannot be activated.

Consent can be withdrawn at any time. The resident, their representative, or the roommate can revoke consent using the DOH Withdrawal of Consent Form. Once withdrawn, the device must be deactivated.

The facility must keep all consent forms on file and provide copies of the DOH Resident Electronic Monitoring Devices Rights and Instructions to the resident.

Practical Steps to Install a Camera

1. Request the forms from the facility. The nursing home or assisted living residence is required to have the official DOH consent forms available. If they claim they don't have them, the forms are accessible through the DOH Center for Health Facility Regulations portal at health.ri.gov/licensing/assisted-living.

2. Choose the device. The law doesn't specify a particular camera or brand. A standard Wi-Fi-enabled camera that records to cloud storage (Ring, Wyze, or similar) works. Consider whether you want audio recording as well as video. Position the camera to cover the bed and the primary care area without pointing directly into the bathroom.

3. Complete the consent forms. Sign the Electronic Monitoring Device Consent Form. If your parent has a roommate, their roommate must also consent.

4. Notify the facility in writing. Provide the facility with the signed consent form before activating the device. Keep a copy for your records.

5. Install and test. Set up the camera, verify the angle and recording quality, and ensure you can access the footage remotely. Check that the device isn't obstructing care delivery or blocking emergency exits.

What the Facility Cannot Do

The law protects families from retaliation. A nursing home or assisted living facility cannot:

• Refuse to admit or discharge a resident because they want electronic monitoring
• Retaliate against a resident or family member for installing a camera
• Require that the family use a specific brand or type of device
• Restrict camera placement beyond what the law requires (i.e., they can't ban cameras from "certain areas" of the private room)
• Charge a fee for camera installation or operation

If a facility pushes back on camera installation after proper consent has been executed, contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 401-785-3340. Obstruction of a lawful monitoring request is a regulatory compliance issue.

When a Camera Captures Something Wrong

If your camera footage shows neglect, abuse, or substandard care, the recording is evidence. Report it to:

• RIDOH Center for Health Facility Regulations — for licensing and regulatory violations
• The Long-Term Care Ombudsman (401-785-3340) — for advocacy and investigation
• Rhode Island State Police — if the footage shows physical abuse, sexual abuse, or theft
• EOHHS — if the facility receives Medicaid funding and the issue involves patient rights violations

Save the footage. Don't delete it. Don't confront the staff before filing the report — document first, then report through official channels.

The Bigger Picture

A camera is a tool, not a solution. It helps you see what's happening when you're not there, but it doesn't fix staffing shortages, training deficits, or systemic quality problems. If your parent is in a facility where you feel a camera is necessary for safety, that should also prompt a serious evaluation of whether the facility is the right placement.

The Rhode Island Care Decision Guide covers facility evaluation, resident rights protections, complaint filing procedures, and the full regulatory framework for nursing homes and assisted living in Rhode Island.

See more Rhode Island guides →