Social rehabilitation facilities.

Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act, requires the State Department of Social Services to license and regulate community care facilities, including social rehabilitation facilities, as defined. Existing law authorizes a community care facility to provide incidental medical services, as specified. A violation of community care facility provisions is a misdemeanor. This bill would prohibit a licensed social rehabilitation facility from employing more than one licensed physician or surgeon or registered nurse for every 6 patients. This bill would provide that medical services provided by a social rehabilitation facility that employs more than one licensed physician or surgeon or registered nurse for every 6 patients shall not be considered incidental medical services. This bill would presume excessive a rate charged by a social rehabilitation facility that is more than 150% of the rate the state pays for similar services, and require the department to investigate complaints of excessive rates. This bill would require the department to issue an order to a facility charging excessive rates that requires the facility to reduce its rate to an amount that is no longer excessive, as determined by the department, or justify its rate at a hearing, as specified, after which the department would issue an order determining a reasonable rate the facility may charge. By expanding the definition of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.