(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 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, and appropriate food services for those persons whose physical health needs can be met in an affiliated hospital or in outpatient settings.

(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that the psychiatric health facility shall provide a distinct type of service to psychiatric patients 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.

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(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.

(2) The Legislature recognizes that, with access to structured outpatient services, as an alternative to 24-hour inpatient care, certain patients would be provided with effective intervention and less restrictive levels of care. The Legislature further recognizes that, for certain patients, the less restrictive levels of care eliminate the need for inpatient care, enable earlier discharge from inpatient care by providing a continuum of care with effective aftercare services, or reduce or prevent the need for a subsequent readmission to inpatient care.

(c) Any reference in any statute to § 1250 of the Health and Safety Code shall be deemed and construed to also be a reference to this section.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law, and to the extent consistent with federal law, a psychiatric health facility shall be eligible to participate in the medicare program under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395 et seq.), and the medicaid program under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq.), if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The facility is a licensed facility.

(2) The facility is in compliance with all related statutes and regulations enforced by the State Department of Health Care Services, including regulations contained in Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 77001) of Division 5 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

(3) The facility meets the definitions and requirements contained in subdivisions (e) and (f) of Section 1861 of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395x(e) and (f)), including the approval process specified in Section 1861(e)(7)(B) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395x(e)(7)(B)), which requires that the state agency responsible for licensing hospitals has ensured that the facility meets licensing requirements.

(4) The facility meets the conditions of participation for hospitals pursuant to Part 482 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 144, Sec. 26. (AB 1847) Effective January 1, 2015.)