California Health and Safety Code 11834.28 – (a) No sooner than July 1, 2022, an alcoholism or drug abuse …
(a) No sooner than July 1, 2022, an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility shall either offer medications for addiction treatment (MAT) directly to clients, or have an effective referral process in place with narcotic treatment programs, community health centers, or other MAT providers.
(b) An effective referral process shall include an established relationship with a MAT provider and transportation to appointments for MAT. Providing contact information for a MAT provider does not meet the requirement of an effective referral.
Terms Used In California Health and Safety Code 11834.28
- department: means the State Department of Health Care Services and "director" means the Director of Health Care Services. See California Health and Safety Code 11752
- facility: means any premises, place, or building that provides 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. See California Health and Safety Code 11834.02
(c) An alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility shall implement and maintain a MAT policy approved by the department. The MAT policy shall do all of the following:
(1) Explain how a client receives information about the benefits and risks of MAT.
(2) Describe the availability of MAT at the program, if applicable, or the referral process for MAT.
(3) Identify an evidence-based assessment for determining a client’s MAT needs.
(4) Address administration, storage, and disposal of MAT, if applicable.
(5) Outline training for staff about the benefits and risks of MAT.
(6) Outline training for staff on the MAT policy.
(d) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this section through the use of all-county letters, provider bulletins, or similar instructions, without taking any further regulatory action.
(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 47, Sec. 10. (SB 184) Effective June 30, 2022.)