Terms Used In California Codes > Welfare and Institutions Code > Division 5 > Part 2 > Chapter 1 - General Provisions

• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• director: means the Director of the State Department of Health Care Services. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 5601
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Governing body: means the county board of supervisors or boards of supervisors in the case of counties acting jointly. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 5601
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Institution: includes a general acute care hospital, a state hospital, a psychiatric hospital, a psychiatric health facility, a skilled nursing facility, including an institution for mental disease as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 5900) of Part 5, an intermediate care facility, a community care facility or other residential treatment facility, or a juvenile or criminal justice institution. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 5601
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Mental health service: means any service directed toward early intervention in, or alleviation or prevention of, mental disorder, including, but not limited to, diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, personal care, day care, respite care, special living arrangements, community skill training, sheltered employment, socialization, case management, transportation, information, referral, consultation, and community services. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 5601
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 12.2
• to the extent resources are available: means to the extent that funds deposited in the mental health account of the local health and welfare fund are available to an entity qualified to use those funds. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 5601
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.