Alcohol and other drug programs: quality rating system.

Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to license and regulate adult alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facilities that provide residential nonmedical services, as specified, and further requires the department to certify and regulate alcohol and other drug programs, as specified. This bill would require an alcohol or other drug treatment facility and an alcohol or other drug program to participate in a public quality rating system designated by the department in order to be licensed or certified. The bill would specify that participation in the public quality rating system pursuant to these provisions is only required if the department determines that sufficient funding has been appropriated or otherwise secured to cover the costs of participation in the platform. The bill would authorize the department to charge a reasonable fee to alcohol or other drug treatment facilities and alcohol or other drug programs required to enroll in the platform, as specified, and would prohibit the administrator of the public quality rating system from accepting payment from the entities subject to these provisions. The bill would authorize the department to verify compliance with participation in the public quality rating system as part of the certification or licensing process. The bill would authorize the department to implement, interpret, or make specific those provisions by means of provider bulletins, written guidelines, or similar instructions.