5349.1. (Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 948, Sec. 17.)

(a) A county or group of counties that implements this article, shall, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services, client and family advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders, develop a training and education program for purposes of improving the delivery of services to persons with a mental health condition who are, or who are at risk of being, involuntarily committed under this part. This training shall be provided to mental health treatment providers contracting with participating counties and to other individuals, including, but not limited to, mental health professionals, law enforcement officials, and certification hearing officers involved in making treatment and involuntary commitment decisions.

(b) The training shall include both of the following:

(1) Information relative to legal requirements for detaining a person for involuntary inpatient and outpatient treatment, including criteria to be considered with respect to determining if a person is considered to have a grave disability.

(2) Methods for ensuring that decisions regarding involuntary treatment, as provided for in this part, direct patients toward the most effective treatment. Training shall include an emphasis on each patient’s right to provide informed consent to assistance.