4096.5. (Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 948, Sec. 6.)

(a) This section governs standards for the mental health program approval for short-term residential therapeutic programs, which is required under subdivision (c) of Section 1562.01 of the Health and Safety Code.

(b) All short-term residential therapeutic programs that serve children who have either been assessed as meeting the medical necessity criteria for Medi-Cal specialty mental health services, as provided for in Section 1830.205 or 1830.210 of Title 9 of the California Code of Regulations, or who have been assessed and diagnosed with a serious emotional disturbance as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 5600.3, shall obtain and have in good standing a mental health program approval and a Medi-Cal mental health certification, as described in Section 11462.01, issued by the State Department of Health Care Services or a county mental health plan to which the department has delegated approval authority. This approval, which is required pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1562.01 of the Health and Safety Code, is a condition for receiving an Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care rate pursuant to Section 11462.01.

(c) (1) A short-term residential therapeutic program shall not directly provide specialty mental health services without a current mental health program approval. A licensed short-term residential therapeutic program that has not obtained a program approval shall provide children in its care access to appropriate mental health services.

(2) County mental health plans shall ensure that Medi-Cal specialty mental health services, including, but not limited to, services under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment benefit, are provided to all Medi-Cal beneficiaries served by short-term residential therapeutic programs who meet medical necessity criteria, as provided for in Section 1830.205 or 1830.210 of Title 9 of the California Code of Regulations.

(d) (1) The State Department of Health Care Services or a county mental health plan to which the department has delegated mental health program approval authority shall approve or deny mental health program approval requests within 45 days of receiving a request. The State Department of Health Care Services or a county mental health plan to which the department has delegated mental health program approval authority shall issue each mental health program approval for a period of one year, except for approvals granted pursuant to paragraph (2) and provisional approvals granted pursuant to regulations promulgated under subdivision (e), and shall specify the effective date of the approval. Approved entities shall meet all program standards to be reapproved.

(2) (A) Between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017, the State Department of Health Care Services, or a county mental health plan to which the department has delegated mental health program approval authority, shall approve or deny a mental health program approval request within 90 days of receipt.

(B) Between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017, the State Department of Health Care Services, or a county mental health plan to which the department has delegated mental health program approval authority, may issue a mental health program approval for a period of less than one year.

(e) (1) The State Department of Health Care Services and the county mental health plans to which the department has delegated mental health program approval authority may enforce the mental health program approval standards by taking any of the following actions against a noncompliant short-term residential therapeutic program:

(A) Suspend or revoke a mental health program approval.

(B) Impose monetary penalties.

(C) Place a mental health program on probation.

(D) Require a mental health program to prepare and comply with a corrective action plan.

(2) The State Department of Health Care Services and the county mental health plans to which the department has delegated mental health program approval authority shall provide short-term residential therapeutic programs with due process protections when taking any of the actions described in paragraph (1).

(g) (1) Except for mental health program approval of short-term residential therapeutic programs operated by a county, the State Department of Health Care Services may, upon the request of a county, delegate to that county mental health plan the mental health program approval of short-term residential therapeutic programs within its borders.

(2) Any county to which mental health program approval is delegated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be responsible for the oversight and enforcement of program standards and the provision of due process for approved and denied entities.

(h) The State Department of Health Care Services or a county mental health plan to which the department has delegated mental health program approval authority shall notify the State Department of Social Services immediately upon the termination of any mental health program approval issued in accordance with subdivisions (b) and (d).

(i) The State Department of Social Services shall notify the State Department of Health Care Services and, if applicable, a county to which the department has delegated mental health program approval authority, immediately upon the revocation of any license issued pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.

(j) Revocation of a license or a mental health program approval or failure to meet the requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 1562.01 of the Health and Safety Code shall be a basis for rate termination.

(k) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (f), pursuant to Section 5963.05, the State Department of Health Care Services may develop and revise documentation standards to be consistent with the standards developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (h) of Section 14184.402.

(2) The department shall require short-term residential therapeutic programs to implement the documentation standards developed pursuant to paragraph (1) and shall monitor compliance with these standards as part of program reviews.