New Laws Increase State Control of Addiction Treatment Facilities, Require Student Athlete Opioid Warning
October 2018
Number 58
On September 26, Governor Jerry Brown signed a package of bills designed to enhance state regulation of licensed alcohol and drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities (RTFs). Governor Brown also signed Senate Bill (SB) 1109, which aims to better inform the public of the risks associated with the use of opioids. These bills take effect January 1, 2019 unless otherwise noted.
Senate Bill (SB) 992: Disclosure of Business Relationships; Developing Plans to Address Resident Relapse
SB 992 expands the types of facilities subject to licensing and regulatory requirements by broadening the definition of "alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility" to include facilities that provide residential nonmedical services for less than 24 hours per day. Additionally, SB 992 requires all RTFs and certified outpatient programs to publicly disclose ownership of, financial interest in, or control over recovery residences, which include residential dwellings commonly referred to as "sober living homes," "sober living environments," or "unlicensed alcohol and drug free residences." RTFs must develop plans to address resident relapses, including details regarding how the resident's treatment stay and treatment plan will be adjusted to address the relapse episode and how the resident will be treated and supervised while under the influence. It is unclear where the plans will be kept or who will enforce use of the plans.
Assembly Bill (AB) 3162: Facility Licenses and Increased Penalties for Unlicensed Operations
AB 3162 makes initial licenses to operate a new RTF provisional for one year and revocable by the Department of Health Care Services for good cause. It also requires licensed services offered or provided by an RTF to be specified on the license and provided exclusively within either the licensed facility or any facility identified on a single license by street address. AB 3162 also increases the civil penalty assessed by the Department of Health Care Services for providing recovery, treatment, or detoxification services without a license from $200 per day to $2,000 per day, and increases the penalties for a violation of the licensing and regulatory provisions from $25 to $50 per day for each violation to $250 to $500 per day for each violation.
SB 823: Evidence-Based Standard of Care for Licensed Facilities
RTFs currently vary in their level of service provided. SB 823 requires the Department of Health Care Services to adopt the American Society of Addiction Medicine's treatment criteria, or an equivalent evidence-based standard, as the minimum standard of care for RTFs by January 1, 2023. The Department of Health Care Services will require RTFs to maintain those standards with respect to the level of care to be provided by the facilities.
SB 1228: Ban on Patient Brokering
SB 1228 prohibits RTFs and other alcohol or drug programs certified by the Department of Health Care Services and their employees from patient brokering, a practice in which patients are recruited to go to a treatment facility in exchange for cash payments, drugs, or other items of value. The Department of Health Care Services may investigate allegations of patient brokering and may, upon finding a violation, assess a penalty or impose other enforcement mechanisms. RTFs or other programs that engage in patient brokering may be fined or have their license or certification suspended or revoked. RTF or program employees who engage in patient brokering may be recommended for disciplinary action, such as termination of employment and suspension and revocation of licensure or certification.
SB 1109: Opioid Factsheet to Youth Athletes
SB 1109 requires school districts, charter schools, private schools, and youth sports organizations offering an athletic program, other than as part of the regular school day or as part of physical education, to annually give the Opioid Factsheet for Patients published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to each athlete. The athlete and, if the athlete is under 17, the athlete's parent or guardian, must sign and return a document acknowledging receipt of the factsheet before the athlete begins practice or competition. Youth sports organizations include local government agencies that sponsor or conduct amateur sports competitions, training, camps, or clubs in which persons 17 years of age or younger participate.
If you have any questions about these new laws, please contact the authors of this Client News Brief or an attorney at one of our eight offices located statewide. You can also visit our website, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or download our Client News Brief App.
Number 58
On September 26, Governor Jerry Brown signed a package of bills designed to enhance state regulation of licensed alcohol and drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities (RTFs). Governor Brown also signed Senate Bill (SB) 1109, which aims to better inform the public of the risks associated with the use of opioids. These bills take effect January 1, 2019 unless otherwise noted.
Senate Bill (SB) 992: Disclosure of Business Relationships; Developing Plans to Address Resident Relapse
SB 992 expands the types of facilities subject to licensing and regulatory requirements by broadening the definition of "alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility" to include facilities that provide residential nonmedical services for less than 24 hours per day. Additionally, SB 992 requires all RTFs and certified outpatient programs to publicly disclose ownership of, financial interest in, or control over recovery residences, which include residential dwellings commonly referred to as "sober living homes," "sober living environments," or "unlicensed alcohol and drug free residences." RTFs must develop plans to address resident relapses, including details regarding how the resident's treatment stay and treatment plan will be adjusted to address the relapse episode and how the resident will be treated and supervised while under the influence. It is unclear where the plans will be kept or who will enforce use of the plans.
Assembly Bill (AB) 3162: Facility Licenses and Increased Penalties for Unlicensed Operations
AB 3162 makes initial licenses to operate a new RTF provisional for one year and revocable by the Department of Health Care Services for good cause. It also requires licensed services offered or provided by an RTF to be specified on the license and provided exclusively within either the licensed facility or any facility identified on a single license by street address. AB 3162 also increases the civil penalty assessed by the Department of Health Care Services for providing recovery, treatment, or detoxification services without a license from $200 per day to $2,000 per day, and increases the penalties for a violation of the licensing and regulatory provisions from $25 to $50 per day for each violation to $250 to $500 per day for each violation.
SB 823: Evidence-Based Standard of Care for Licensed Facilities
RTFs currently vary in their level of service provided. SB 823 requires the Department of Health Care Services to adopt the American Society of Addiction Medicine's treatment criteria, or an equivalent evidence-based standard, as the minimum standard of care for RTFs by January 1, 2023. The Department of Health Care Services will require RTFs to maintain those standards with respect to the level of care to be provided by the facilities.
SB 1228: Ban on Patient Brokering
SB 1228 prohibits RTFs and other alcohol or drug programs certified by the Department of Health Care Services and their employees from patient brokering, a practice in which patients are recruited to go to a treatment facility in exchange for cash payments, drugs, or other items of value. The Department of Health Care Services may investigate allegations of patient brokering and may, upon finding a violation, assess a penalty or impose other enforcement mechanisms. RTFs or other programs that engage in patient brokering may be fined or have their license or certification suspended or revoked. RTF or program employees who engage in patient brokering may be recommended for disciplinary action, such as termination of employment and suspension and revocation of licensure or certification.
SB 1109: Opioid Factsheet to Youth Athletes
SB 1109 requires school districts, charter schools, private schools, and youth sports organizations offering an athletic program, other than as part of the regular school day or as part of physical education, to annually give the Opioid Factsheet for Patients published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to each athlete. The athlete and, if the athlete is under 17, the athlete's parent or guardian, must sign and return a document acknowledging receipt of the factsheet before the athlete begins practice or competition. Youth sports organizations include local government agencies that sponsor or conduct amateur sports competitions, training, camps, or clubs in which persons 17 years of age or younger participate.
If you have any questions about these new laws, please contact the authors of this Client News Brief or an attorney at one of our eight offices located statewide. You can also visit our website, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or download our Client News Brief App.
As the information contained herein is necessarily general, its application to a particular set of facts and circumstances may vary. For this reason, this News Brief does not constitute legal advice. We recommend that you consult with your counsel prior to acting on the information contained herein.
