Report of the Human Rights Defender on the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism in Poland in 2013 Another persistent problem found by the employees of the Mechanism is non-adjustment of the Police rooms to the needs of disabled persons.188 In the opinion of the NPM employees, at least one room should be adjusted to the needs of persons with disabilities and elderly persons to enable them to move on their own around the room and to use the sanitary facilities. 5. Sobering-up stations 5.1. Introduction In 2013, the representatives of the National Preventive Mechanism visited 4 sobering-up stations.189 The Human Rights Defender has for a long time closely monitored the situation of intoxicated persons who are detained and the care for those persons. The Defender’s initiatives were summed up in the Report of the Human Rights Defender on the visits of the National Preventive Mechanism to sobering-up stations190, published in July 2013, and at the conference organised on 3 October 2013 and entitled Sobering-up stations – law versus practice, directions of changes which focused on the transformation of sobering-up stations into new type specialist establishments and on other issues related to sobering-up stations. In addition, the HRD was involved in a discussion with a representative of the Ministry of Health on problems relating to sobering-up stations which were described in the Report from 2012.191 5.2. Systemic problems 5.2.1. Insufficient regulations on organisation of sobering-up stations As described in the Report for 2012, the optional nature of Article 39(1) of the Act of 26 October 1982 on upbringing in sobriety and counteracting alco PDRs in: Nowa Sól, Biłgoraj, Chełmno, Golub-Dobrzyń, Kolbuszowa, Kościan, Krapkowice, Lubliniec, Maków Mazowiecki, Morąg, Piła, Ryki, Wałcz, Ząbkowice Śląskie, Słupsk, Lidzbark Warmiński, Polanica Zdrój, Węgorzewo. 189 The following establishments were visited: the Municipal Sobering-up Station in Legnica, the Centre for Therapy and Care for Intoxicated Persons in Koszalin, the Sobering-up Station in Bytom, the Centre for Reduction of Damages and Early Therapeutic Intervention for Persons Addicted to Alcohol and Abusing Alcohol at the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship Help Thy Neighbour Centre MONAR-MARKOT in Rożnowice with its seat in Poznań (currently: Centre for Intoxicated Persons at the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship Help Thy Neighbour Centre MONAR-MARKOT in Rożnowice with its seat in Poznań). Further in the report, the term Sobering-up Station (or SS or Station) though some establishments have other names. 190 See: http://www.rpo.gov.pl/pl/content/raport-rzecznik-praw-obywatelskich-z-wizytacji-w-izbachwytrze%C5%BAwie%C5%84-przeprowadzonych-przez-0. 191 See: http://www.rpo.gov.pl/sites/default/files/raport_kmp_2012.pdf 188 60