CA SB 1339

Title: Supportive community residences.
Author: Benjamin J. Allen

Summary
SB 1339, as amended, Allen. Supportive community residences. Existing law generally requires the State Department of Public Health to license, inspect, and regulate health facilities, defined to include, among other types of health facilities, an acute psychiatric hospital. Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to license and establish regulations for psychiatric residential treatment facilities.Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to license and regulate facilities that provide residential nonmedical services to adults who are recovering from problems related to alcohol, drug, or alcohol and drug misuse or abuse, and who need alcohol, drug, or alcohol and drug recovery treatment or detoxification services. Existing law also requires the department to implement a voluntary certification program for alcohol and other drug treatment recovery services.Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act, generally provides for the licensing and regulation of community care facilities by the State Department of Social Services, to provide 24-hour nonmedical care of persons in need of personal services, supervision, or assistance. Existing regulation includes an adult residential facility as a community care facility for those purposes.This bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services (department), by January 1, 2027, and in consultation with relevant public agencies and stakeholders, to establish, and provide for the administration of, a voluntary certification program for supportive community residences. The bill would define a “supportive community residence” as a residential home serving adults with a substance use disorder, mental health diagnosis, or dual diagnosis that does not provide medical care or a level of support for activities of daily living that require state licensing. The bill would require the certification program to include standards and procedures for operation, such as types of certifications needed and supportive services navigation, and procedures and penalties for enforcing laws and regulations governing supportive community residences. The bill also would require the department to create and maintain a searchable online database of certified facilities, which would include specified contact and complaint information for those residences.The bill would require the department to adopt or amend regulations to require referring entities to provide information relating to the license or certification status of community care facilities and supportive community residences to individuals with a substance use disorder, mental health diagnosis, or dual diagnosis, and to report any suspected fraudulent license or certification identified during verification to the appropriate entity. The bill would define “referring entity” to include a state or local entity, or a state-regulated entity that provides adults with substance use disorders or mental health diagnoses with referrals to, or that authorizes health care coverage for, services provided by supportive community residences or licensed community care residential facilities. The bill also would require the regulations to include enforcement methods for willful and repeated violations of those requirements by referring entities.The bill would prohibit a supportive community residence from providing any licensed services onsite, including, but not limited to, incidental medical services. The bill would authorize the department to charge a fee for certification of supportive community residences in an amount not to exceed the reasonable cost of administering the program, not to exceed $1,000, and would establish the Supportive Community Residence Program Fund for collection of the fee. The bill would require the department, by January 1, 2027, in consultation with relevant state agencies and other stakeholders, to submit a report to the Legislature including recommendations for stat

Status
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 24).

Bill Documents
CA SB 1339 - 04/15/24 - Amended Senate
04/15/24 - CA SB 1339 (04/15/24 - Amended Senate)