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AB-919 Alcoholism and drug abuse recovery or treatment programs.(2019-2020)



Current Version: 10/12/19 - Chaptered

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AB919:v93#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 919
CHAPTER 811

An act to amend Sections 11831.6 and 11831.7 of, and to add Section 11831.65 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to drug and alcohol programs.

[ Approved by Governor  October 12, 2019. Filed with Secretary of State  October 12, 2019. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 919, Petrie-Norris. Alcoholism and drug abuse recovery or treatment programs.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of adult alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities by the State Department of Health Care Services and authorizes the department to enforce those provisions. Existing law prohibits specified persons, programs, or entities, such as an alcoholism or drug abuse treatment facility or a person employed by, or working for, an alcohol or other drug program, from giving or receiving anything of value for the referral of a person who is seeking alcoholism or drug abuse recovery and treatment services. Existing law authorizes the department to investigate allegations of violations of those provisions, and authorizes the department to assess various penalties upon a person, program, or entity that is found in violation of those provisions.
This bill would require laboratories or certified outpatient treatment programs that lease, manage, or own housing that is offered to individuals using the laboratory or outpatient treatment services to maintain separate housing contracts stating that payment for the housing is the patient’s responsibility and does not depend on insurance benefits. The bill would require alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities to only offer discounted postdischarge housing and specified transportation services under certain conditions, including that the patient enters into a repayment plan for any subsidized rent. The bill would provide that violations of those provisions are punishable by the sanctions described above.
This bill would require the department to establish an enforcement program focused on the duties to enforce these provisions, and would require staff of the enforcement program to provide the department with analytical support, general oversight and monitoring, and legal guidance regarding those provisions.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 11831.6 and 11831.7 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by AB 920 to be operative only if this bill and AB 920 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 11831.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11831.6.
 (a) The following persons, programs, or entities shall not give or receive remuneration or anything of value for the referral of a person who is seeking alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment services:
(1) An alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility licensed under this part.
(2) An owner, partner, officer, or director, or shareholder who holds an interest of at least 10 percent in an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility licensed under this part.
(3) A person employed by, or working for, an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility licensed under this part, including, but not limited to, registered and certified counselors and licensed professionals providing counseling services.
(4) An alcohol or other drug program certified by the department in accordance with the alcohol or other drug certification standards established pursuant to Section 11830.1.
(5) An owner, partner, officer, or director, or shareholder who holds an interest of at least 10 percent in an alcohol or other drug program certified by the department in accordance with the alcohol or other drug certification standards established pursuant to Section 11830.1.
(6) A person employed by, or working for, an alcohol or other drug program certified by the department in accordance with the alcohol or other drug certification standards established pursuant to Section 11830.1, including, but not limited to, registered and certified counselors and licensed professionals providing counseling services.
(b) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may, if it deems appropriate, implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of provider bulletins, written guidelines, or similar instructions from the department, until regulations are adopted.

SEC. 1.5.

 Section 11831.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11831.6.
 (a) The following persons, programs, or entities shall not give or receive remuneration or anything of value for the referral of a person who is seeking alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment services:
(1) An alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility or program licensed under this part.
(2) An owner, partner, officer, or director, or shareholder who holds an interest of at least 10 percent in an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility or program licensed under this part.
(3) A person employed by, or working for, an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility or program licensed under this part, including, but not limited to, registered and certified counselors and licensed professionals providing counseling services.
(b) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may, if it deems appropriate, implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of provider bulletins, written guidelines, or similar instructions from the department, until regulations are adopted.

SEC. 2.

 Section 11831.65 is added to the Health and Safety Code, immediately following Section 11831.6, to read:

11831.65.
 (a) A laboratory or certified outpatient treatment program that leases, manages, or owns housing units that are offered to individuals who concurrently utilize laboratory or outpatient services shall maintain separate contracts for the housing. The contract shall clearly state that payment for housing is the responsibility of the individual and does not depend on insurance benefits. The contract shall include a repayment plan for any subsidized rent, and the laboratory or certified outpatient treatment program shall make a good faith effort to collect the debt. The offer for housing shall not depend on the individual’s agreement to receive services from either the laboratory or the certified outpatient treatment program.
(b) An alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility licensed under this part shall only offer an individual discounted housing following discharge from the facility if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility and the individual enter into a written contract for housing that is separate from the contract for treatment, if the individual also pursues outpatient treatment.
(2) The contract described in paragraph (1) includes a repayment plan for any subsidized rent, and the alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility makes a good faith effort to collect the debt.
(3) The offer for housing is not dependent upon the individual’s agreement to attend outpatient treatment at a program that is owned or operated by the alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility.
(c) An alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility licensed under this part shall only offer transportation services to an individual who is seeking recovery or treatment services if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) Any ground transportation provided to an individual who is seeking recovery or treatment services is for a distance of less than 125 miles.
(2) Any air transportation provided to an individual who is seeking recovery or treatment services includes a return ticket that may be used by the individual upon discharge.
(3) A return ticket not used by an individual upon discharge is made available to the individual upon request for a period of one year following the individual’s discharge.
(d) This section does not prohibit a person, program, or entity from providing an individual educational or informational materials about community resources, including, but not limited to, housing assistance.

SEC. 3.

 Section 11831.7 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11831.7.
 (a) The department may investigate allegations of violations of this chapter. The department may, upon finding a violation of this chapter or any regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter, do any of the following:
(1) Assess a penalty upon an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility licensed under this part.
(2) Suspend or revoke the license of an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility licensed under Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 11834.01), or deny an application for licensure, extension of the licensing period, or modification to a license. Article 4 (commencing with Section 11834.35) of Chapter 7.5 shall apply to any action taken pursuant to this paragraph.
(3) Assess a penalty upon an alcohol or other drug outpatient program certified by the department in accordance with the alcohol or other drug certification standards established pursuant to Section 11830.1.
(4) Suspend or revoke the certification of an alcohol or other drug outpatient program certified by the department in accordance with the alcohol or other drug certification standards established pursuant to Section 11830.1.
(5) Suspend or revoke the registration or certification of a counselor for a violation of this chapter.
(b) The department may investigate allegations against a licensed professional providing counseling services at an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment program licensed, certified, or funded under this part, and recommend disciplinary actions, including, but not limited to, termination of employment at a program and suspension and revocation of licensure by the respective licensing board.
(c) The department shall establish an enforcement program focused on the oversight duties of this chapter. Staff of the enforcement program shall have responsibilities including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Provide the department with analytical support for the development and administration of this chapter.
(2) Provide the department with general oversight and monitoring focused on investigations and enforcement of this chapter.
(3) Provide the department with legal guidance in the interpretation of this chapter.
(d) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may, if it deems appropriate, implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of provider bulletins, written guidelines, or similar instructions from the department, until regulations are adopted.

SEC. 3.5.

 Section 11831.7 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11831.7.
 (a) The department may investigate allegations of violations of this chapter. The department shall, upon finding a violation of this chapter or a regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter, do any of the following:
(1) Assess a penalty upon an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility or program licensed under this part.
(2) Suspend or revoke the license of an outpatient alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment program licensed under this chapter, or an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility licensed under Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 11834.01), or deny an application for licensure, extension of the licensing period, or modification to a license. Article 4 (commencing with Section 11834.35) of Chapter 7.5 shall apply to any action taken pursuant to this paragraph.
(3) Suspend or revoke the registration or certification of a counselor for a violation of this chapter.
(b) The department may investigate allegations against a licensed professional providing counseling services at an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment program licensed or funded under this part, and recommend disciplinary actions, including, but not limited to, termination of employment at a program and suspension and revocation of licensure by the respective licensing board.
(c) The department shall establish an enforcement program focused on the oversight duties of this chapter. Staff of the enforcement program shall have responsibilities including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Provide the department with analytical support for the development and administration of this chapter.
(2) Provide the department with general oversight and monitoring focused on investigations and enforcement of this chapter.
(3) Provide the department with legal guidance in the interpretation of this chapter.
(d) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may, if it deems appropriate, implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of provider bulletins, written guidelines, or similar instructions from the department, until regulations are adopted.

SEC. 4.

 Section 1.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 11831.6 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 920. That section shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2020, (2) each bill amends Section 11831.6 of the Health and Safety Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 920, in which case Section 1 of this bill shall not become operative.

SEC. 5.

 Section 3.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 11831.7 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 920. That section shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2020, (2) each bill amends Section 11831.7 of the Health and Safety Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 920, in which case Section 3 of this bill shall not become operative.