California Health and Safety Code

§ 11852.5

HSC § 11852.5 Effective Jan 1, 2025Div. 10.5 · Part 2 · Ch. 13

Statute text

(a)Charges shall be made for services rendered to each person under a county contract in accordance with this section. Charges for the care and treatment of each client receiving service under a county contract shall not exceed the actual cost thereof as determined by the director in accordance with standard accounting practices. The fee requirement shall not apply to prevention and early intervention services. The director is not prohibited from including the amount of expenditures for capital outlay or the interest thereon, or both, in their determination of actual cost. The responsibility of a client, their estate, or their responsible relatives to pay the charges shall be determined in accordance with this section.

(b)Each county shall determine the liability of clients rendered services under a county contract, and of their estates or responsible relatives, to pay the charges according to ability to pay. Each county shall collect the charges. The county shall establish and maintain policies and procedures for making the determinations of liability and collections, by collecting third-party payments and from other sources to the maximum extent practicable. The written criteria shall be a public record and shall be made available to the department or any individual. Fees collected shall be retained at the local level and be applied toward the purchase of additional alcohol and drug services.

(c)Services shall not be denied because of a client’s ability or inability to pay. County-operated and contract providers of treatment services shall set and collect fees using methods approved by the county alcohol and drug program administrator. All approved fee systems shall conform to all of the following guidelines and criteria:

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Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 847, Sec. 80. (AB 2995) Effective January 1, 2025.