(a) A community mental health center shall be considered to be a licensed facility for all purposes, including all provisions of the Health and Safety Code and the Insurance Code.

(b) For purposes of this section, “community mental health center” means any entity that is one of the following:

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(1) A city or county mental health program.

(2) A facility funded under the federal Community Mental Health Centers Act, contained in Subchapter 3 (commencing with Section 2681) of Chapter 33 of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(3) A nonprofit agency that has a contract with a county mental health program to provide both of the following:

(A) A comprehensive program of mental health services in an outpatient setting designed to improve the function of persons with diagnosed mental health problems pursuant to procedures governing all aspects of the program formulated with the aid of multidisciplinary staff, including physicians and surgeons, all of whom serve on quality assurance and utilization review committees.

(B) Diagnostic and therapeutic services for individuals with diagnosed mental health problems, together with related counseling.

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 712, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1996.)