California Health and Safety Code

§ 1250.2

HSC § 1250.2 Effective Jan 1, 2025Div. 2 · Ch. 2 · Art. 1

Statute text

(a)(1) As defined in Section 1250, “health facility” includes a “psychiatric health facility,” defined to mean a health facility, licensed by the State Department of Health Care Services, that provides 24-hour inpatient care for people with mental health disorders, severe substance use disorders, as defined in subdivision (o) of Section 5008 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or cooccurring mental health and severe substance use disorders, or other persons described in Division 5 (commencing with Section 5000) or Division 6 (commencing with Section 6000) of the Welfare and Institutions Code. This care shall include, but not be limited to, the following basic services: psychiatry, clinical psychology, psychiatric nursing, social work, rehabilitation, drug administration, food services, and substance use disorder services, as medically necessary and appropriate. Psychiatric health facilities shall only admit persons whose physical health needs can be met in an affiliated hospital or in outpatient settings and shall only admit people with stand-alone severe substance use disorders involuntarily pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 5000) of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(2)It is the intent of the Legislature that the psychiatric health facility shall provide a distinct type of service to persons with mental health disorders, severe substance use disorders, or cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders in a 24-hour acute inpatient setting. The State Department of Health Care Services shall require regular utilization reviews of admission and discharge criteria and lengths of stay in order to ensure that these patients are moved to less restrictive levels of care as soon as appropriate.

(b)(1) The State Department of Health Care Services may issue a special permit to a psychiatric health facility for it to provide structured outpatient services (commonly referred to as SOPS) consisting of morning, afternoon, or full daytime organized programs, not exceeding 10 hours, for acute daytime care for patients admitted to the facility. This subdivision shall not be construed as requiring a psychiatric health facility to apply for a special permit to provide these alternative levels of care.

…

Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 644, Sec. 1. (SB 1238) Effective January 1, 2025.