Enhanced treatment programs.

Existing law establishes state hospitals for the care, treatment, and education of mentally disordered persons. These hospitals are under the jurisdiction of the State Department of State Hospitals, which is authorized by existing law to adopt regulations regarding the conduct and management of these facilities. Existing law requires each state hospital to develop an incident reporting procedure that can be used to, at a minimum, develop reports of patient assaults on employees and assist the hospital in identifying risks of patient assaults on employees. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities, including acute psychiatric hospitals, by the State Department of Public Health. A violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would, commencing July 1, 2015, and subject to available funding, authorize the State Department of State Hospitals to establish and maintain pilot enhanced treatment programs (ETPs) , as defined, for the treatment of patients who are at high risk of most dangerous behavior, as defined, and when safe treatment is not possible in a standard treatment environment. The bill would authorize the State Department of Public Health to approve, on or after July 1, 2015, an ETP, which meets specified requirements and regulations, as a supplemental service for an acute psychiatric hospital that submits a completed application and is operated by the State Department of State Hospitals. The bill would authorize a state hospital psychiatrist or psychologist to refer a patient to an ETP for temporary placement and risk assessment upon a determination that the patient may be at high risk for most dangerous behavior. The bill would require the forensic needs assessment panel (FNAP) to conduct a placement evaluation to determine whether the patient clinically requires ETP placement and ETP treatment can meet the identified needs of the patient. The bill would also require a forensic needs assessment team (FNAT) psychologist to perform an in-depth violence risk assessment and make a treatment plan upon the patient's admission to an ETP. The bill would require the FNAP to conduct a treatment placement meeting with specified individuals prior to the expiration of 90 days from the date of placement in the ETP to determine whether the patient may return to a standard treatment environment or the patient clinically requires continued ETP treatment. If the FNAP determines that the patient clinically requires continued ETP treatment, the bill would require the FNAP to certify the patient for further ETP treatment for one year, subject to FNAP reviews at least every 90 days, as specified. The bill would require the FNAP to conduct another treatment placement meeting prior to the expiration of the one-year certification of ETP placement to determine whether the patient may return to a standard treatment environment or be certified for further ETP treatment for another year. The bill would also require, if the FNAP determines that the patient requires continued ETP placement, that the patient's case be referred to a forensic psychiatrist or psychologist outside of the State Department of State Hospitals for independent review, that a hearing be conducted, and notice given, as specified. The bill would require the State Department of State Hospitals to monitor the ETPs, evaluate outcomes, and report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature. Because this bill would create a new crime, it imposes 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.