(a) (1) Mental health rehabilitation centers shall only be licensed by the State Department of Health Care Services subsequent to application by counties, county contract providers, or other organizations.
(2) In the application for a mental health rehabilitation center, program evaluation measures shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) That the clients placed in the facilities show improved global assessment scores as measured by preadmission and postadmission tests.
(B) That the clients placed in the facilities demonstrate improved functional behavior as measured by preadmission and postadmission tests.
(C) That the clients placed in the facilities have reduced medication levels as determined by comparison of preadmission and postadmission records.
(b) The State Department of Health Care Services shall conduct annual licensing inspections of mental health rehabilitation centers.
(c) (1) All regulations relating to the licensing of mental health rehabilitation centers, heretofore adopted by the State Department of Mental Health, or its successor, shall remain in effect and shall be fully enforceable by the State Department of Health Care Services with respect to any facility or program required to be licensed as a mental health rehabilitation center, unless and until readopted, amended, or repealed by the Director of Health Care Services.
(2) The State Department of Health Care Services shall succeed to and be vested with all duties, powers, purposes, functions, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of the State Department of Mental Health, and its successor, if any, as they relate to licensing mental health rehabilitation centers. The State Department of Health Care Services may adopt, amend, or repeal regulations regarding the licensing of mental health rehabilitation centers.
(d) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (c), pursuant to Section 5963.05, the State Department of Health Care Services may develop and revise documentation standards for individual service plans to be consistent with the standards developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (h) of Section 14184.402.
(2) The department shall require mental health rehabilitation centers to implement these documentation standards and shall conduct annual licensing inspections and investigations to determine compliance with these standards.
(Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 644, Sec. 8. (SB 1238) Effective January 1, 2025.)