Healthcare

Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act, provides for the licensing and regulation of community care facilities, including short-term residential therapeutic programs, by the State Department of Social Services, and defines a short-term residential therapeutic program as a residential facility licensed by the department and operated by any public agency or private organization that provides an integrated program of specialized and intensive care and supervision, services and supports, treatment, and short-term, 24-hour care and supervision to children that is trauma-informed. Under the act, the department is authorized to issue citations for violations of these provisions. This bill would, notwithstanding any law and commencing January 1, 2027, require licenses for short-term residential therapeutic programs to be renewed annually if the licensee has a total of 5 or more specified citations in the past 12 months. The bill would require that the licensee not be subject to ongoing annual review if it receives less than 5 violations in the 12 months following an annual license review.

Existing law establishes various healing arts boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs, including the Medical Board of California and the Dental Board of California, that license and regulate various healing arts licensees. Existing law, including the Medical Practice Act and the Dental Practice Act, deem certain violations by licensees to be unprofessional conduct subject to discipline by the licensee's licensing board. Existing law requires a physician and surgeon or dentist to refund to a patient any amount paid by the patient for services rendered that was subsequently paid to the physician and surgeon or dentist by a third-party payor and that constitutes a duplicate payment, as prescribed. Existing law requires that the above-described duplicate payment refund be paid, if requested by the patient, either within 30 days of that request or, if the duplicate payment has not been received, within 30 days of receipt of the duplicate payment by the physician and surgeon or dentist. Existing law requires, if the patient does not request a refund, a physician and surgeon or dentist who knows, or should have known, of the receipt of the duplicate payment to notify the patient, as prescribed, and to refund the payment within 30 days of that notification, except as specified. Existing law makes a violation of the above requirements unprofessional conduct subject to disciplinary proceedings as described above. This bill would reduce the duration for a physician and surgeon or dentist to refund a duplicate payment following patient request or patient notification to 21 days.

Existing law authorizes a court to grant pretrial diversion to a defendant suffering from a mental disorder, on an accusatory pleading alleging the commission of a misdemeanor or felony offense, in order to allow the defendant to undergo mental health treatment. Existing law provides that a defendant is eligible for diversion if they have been diagnosed with certain mental disorders and the court finds that the mental disorder was a significant factor in the commission of the charged offense, unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the disorder was not a motivating, causal, or contributing factor to the defendant's involvement in the alleged offense. Existing law prohibits defendants charged with specified offenses, including murder, from being placed in this diversion program. This bill would require that the diagnosis or rediagnosis with a mental disorder be within 5 years before the alleged offense. Existing law makes a defendant suitable for this diversion program if, among other criteria, a qualified mental health expert opines that the defendant's symptoms of the mental disorder that caused, contributed to, or motivated the criminal behavior, would respond to mental health treatment and the defendant will not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety if treated in the community, as specified. The bill would revise that standard and instead require the court to find that the defendant will not pose a substantial and undue risk to the physical safety of another person if treated in the community. The bill would require the mental health expert's opinion to include that the proposed mental health diversion plan is clinically appropriate to address the symptoms of the defendant's mental disorder, as specified. The bill would require the court to state the reasons for denial on the record.

This bill designates June 2026 as Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month to highlight information about the virus. It directly affects public health officials, healthcare providers, and community organizations who may organize events or distribute educational materials during this time. The primary mechanism is a formal declaration that establishes the specific month for this awareness campaign. The measure does not alter laws or funding but serves to recognize the importance of the issue through official state recognition.

This bill designates May 2026 as Behavioral Health Awareness Month in California. It directs state agencies to acknowledge this month, likely through proclamations or public awareness campaigns. The measure does not change funding, laws, or services but serves to highlight the importance of mental and behavioral health.

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of the practice of medicine by physicians and surgeons. Existing law generally prohibits the practice of medicine without a physician's and surgeon's certificate issued by the board. Existing law authorizes a health care provider to deliver health care via telehealth to a patient pursuant to specified protocols and conditions. Existing law defines "telehealth" as the delivery of health care services and public health via information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient's health care, and that telehealth includes synchronous interactions and asynchronous store and forward transfers. Existing law authorizes an eligible out-of-state physician and surgeon, as defined, to deliver health care via telehealth to an eligible patient. Existing law defines "eligible patient" as a person who, among other requirements, has a life-threatening disease or condition, as defined, and has not been accepted to participate in the clinical trial nearest to their home for the immediately life-threatening disease or condition, as specified, or in the medical judgment of a physician and surgeon, as defined, it is unreasonable for the patient to participate in that clinical trial due to the patient's current condition and state of disease. This bill would also include within the definition of "eligible patient" a patient whose immediately life-threatening disease or condition is in remission and the patient is continuing care for that condition with the previously established eligible out-of-state physician and surgeon, and would provide that those patients are not subject to the clinical trial requirement, as specified.

This bill designates the week of May 3 through May 9, 2026, as Youth Mental Health Awareness Week in California. It directly affects state officials and the public by officially recognizing this specific time period to highlight mental health issues among young people. The measure does not change laws or allocate funding but serves to raise awareness through an official state designation. Once enacted, this resolution allows for public events and discussions focused on youth mental health during the specified dates.

This bill designates May 2026 as Lyme Disease Awareness Month to highlight the importance of recognizing and preventing the disease. It does not change laws or allocate funding but serves as a formal proclamation to encourage public education and awareness during that time. The measure directly affects state officials and the general public by setting aside a specific month for focus on Lyme disease prevention.

This bill designates the week of May 11 to May 15, 2026, as Student Mental Health Awareness Week throughout California. The measure requires state agencies and institutions to acknowledge this specific timeframe to highlight the importance of student mental well-being. By officially recognizing these dates, the legislation aims to encourage public focus on mental health resources for students during that period. It does not allocate funding or mandate specific programs, but rather serves to raise awareness through formal designation.

This measure would recognize May 4, 2026, to May 8, 2026, inclusive, and every first week of May thereafter, as Black Health Equity Advocacy Week, and commend the California Black Health Network and other organizations throughout the state for their efforts to improve the health, well-being, and life expectancy of Black Californians.