(a) Notwithstanding any other law, unless the committing court orders an alternative placement, upon closure of the Division of Juvenile Justice, the State Department of State Hospitals shall continue to provide evaluation, care, and treatment of state hospital patients referred by the division pursuant to Section 1756 and Interagency Agreement 21-00189, or a predecessor agreement, until clinical discharge, as defined in paragraph (9) of subdivision (b) is recommended by the State Department of State Hospitals, or until the patient referred by the division reaches the hospitalization release date in subdivision (e). When discharge is clinically indicated, the State Department of State Hospitals shall notify the juvenile court of commitment, juvenile counsel of record, the probation department, and the behavioral health department. The State Department of State Hospitals shall collaborate with county probation and behavioral health to ensure continuity of care. The division shall provide contact information for the committing court, juvenile counsel of record, and related probation department for all patients in the custody of the State Department of State Hospitals upon enactment of this section and any youth placed at the State Department of State Hospitals prior to closure of the division.

(b) Notwithstanding the confidentiality provision for information and records set forth under Section 5328, for any youth referred by the division who remains a patient after closure of the division, the State Department of State Hospitals shall do the following:

(1) Collaborate with the county probation department and behavioral health department prior to the expected discharge from the state hospital to assist the county in determining the least restrictive legal alternative placement for the youth.

(2) Provide the court, juvenile counsel of record, and county probation department, upon closure of the division and annually thereafter, a copy of the finalized treatment plan specifying the youth’s goals of hospitalization, assessed needs, and how the staff will assist the youth to achieve the goals and objectives.

(3) Notify the juvenile court of commitment, juvenile counsel of record, and county probation as soon as safely possible, but no later than 24 hours following any of the following:

(A) A suicide or serious attempted suicide.

(B) A serious injury or battery, with or without a weapon.

(C) An alleged sexual assault.

(D) An escape or attempted escape.

(4) Provide county probation, biannually, a synopsis of behavioral incidences, including, but not limited to, self-harm, assault, contraband, and property damage.

(5) Notify the committing court, juvenile counsel of record, and the county probation department if a youth refuses to consent to clinically necessary medication treatment and provide the court with the clinical records and testimony necessary for the court to consider an order for involuntary medication administration. Notwithstanding any other law, the State Department of State Hospitals shall utilize the process outlined in Section 4210 of Title 9 of the California Code of Regulations and In re Qawi (2004) 32.Cal.4th.1 to obtain involuntary medication orders.

(6) Notify individuals covered by a youth’s medical release of information, the juvenile counsel of record, the juvenile committing court, and the county probation department within 24 hours of the youth being hospitalized for a serious medical condition.

(7) Notify the youth’s next of kin on record, juvenile counsel of record, the juvenile committing court, and the county probation department of the county of commitment within 24 hours, and the local county coroner and local law enforcement agencies within two hours, of the discovery of death when a youth dies during hospitalization at a state hospital, or if the death occurred immediately following transfer from a state hospital to a community medical facility.

(8) Notify the juvenile committing court, the juvenile counsel of record, and probation department if it believes the youth requires conservatorship upon discharge. For continuity of care, the State Department of State Hospitals shall accommodate any necessary access to the youth or medical records as needed for arranging conservatorship.

(9) Notify the juvenile court of commitment, juvenile counsel of record, and the county probation department when the youth is ready to discharge to the county based on the following:

(A) When the youth has improved to a degree that further hospitalization is unnecessary, or the primary illness or problem for which hospitalization was required is in substantial remission, and the remaining symptoms are those of a disorder for which hospitalization in a state hospital is not clinically necessary.

(B) When further hospitalization is unnecessary, not clinically appropriate, and will provide no further benefit.

(C) When a court has ordered an alternative placement.

(D) When the youth has reached the hospitalization release date described in subdivision (e).

(10) Provide a written discharge summary and all other pertinent medical and mental health data to the receiving juvenile court of commitment, juvenile counsel of record, and county probation department.

(c) For a youth remaining a patient in a state hospital pursuant to this section, the probation department shall do all of the following:

(1) Upon notification of discharge criteria having been met from the State Department of State Hospitals, find a placement for the patient within 45 days.

(2) Provide transportation to court appearances and from the state hospital to the county designated placement within 7 calendar days of the discharge date.

(3) Reimburse the State Department of State Hospitals for any off-site medical or surgical health care expense, if services could not be provided by the State Department of State Hospitals and prior approval was received from the county, except in cases of emergency.

(d) The county of commitment shall not be charged by the state for a person placed in a state hospital by the division prior to closure pursuant to Section 1756 or Interagency Agreement 21-00189 or a predecessor agreement, during this placement.

(e) A person in a state hospital under the provisions of Section 1756 or this section shall be released and discharged to the county of commitment no later than the person’s maximum juvenile confinement time, as determined by Section 607 and all other provisions of law.

(f) Immediately prior to closure, the division shall notify the juvenile court of commitment and the juvenile counsel of record of the youth’s most recent projected board hearing date for court consideration.

(g) This section shall only apply to the youth referred by the division prior to closure who remain a patient in a state hospital after closure of the division. Additional youth shall not be subject to this section.

(h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2031, and as of that date is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 771, Sec. 22. (AB 160) Effective September 29, 2022. Repealed as of January 1, 2031, by its own provisions.)