Long-term care facilities: health care decisions.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities by the State Department of Public Health. Under the California Community Care Facilities Act, the State Department of Social Services licenses and regulates community care facilities, including residential facilities, and under the California Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly Act, the State Department of Social Services licenses and regulates residential facilities for the elderly. A violation of these provisions is a crime, as specified. This bill would require specified health facilities and residential facilities and residential care facilities for the elderly to provide a person with a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment form, as defined, upon his or her admission to the facility. The bill would provide that violations of these provisions do not constitute a crime.