Bill Text: CA AB575 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Enrolled

California Assembly Bill 575 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Elder and dependent adult abuse: mandated reporters: substance use disorder counselors.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-10-02 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 407, Statutes of 2017. [AB575 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB575-Enrolled.html

Enrolled July 14, 2017

Passed IN Senate July 13, 2017

Passed IN Assembly May 11, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 575

Introduced by Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer

February 14, 2017

An act to amend Section 15610.37 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to elder and dependent adult abuse.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 575, Jones-Sawyer. Elder and dependent adult abuse: mandated reporters: substance use disorder counselors.

Under existing law, any person who has assumed full or intermittent responsibility for the care or custody of an elder or dependent adult, is a mandated reporter. Under existing law, any mandated reporter who has observed or has knowledge of an incident that reasonably appears to be physical abuse, abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial abuse, or neglect, or is told by an elder or dependent adult that he or she has experienced these behaviors, is required to report the abuse immediately or as soon as practicably possible. The failure to report on the part of a mandated reporter is a crime.

Under existing law, mandated reporters include administrators, supervisors, and any licensed staff of a public or private facility that provides care or services for elder or dependent adults, or any elder or dependent adult care custodian, health practitioner, clergy member, or employee of a county adult protective services agency or a local law enforcement agency.

This bill would, for purposes of the above-mandated reporter law, include within the definition of “health practitioner” a substance use disorder counselor, as defined, thereby making a substance use disorder counselor a mandated reporter. Because a failure on the part of a substance use disorder counselor to make a mandated report would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 15610.37 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

15610.37.

“Health practitioner” means a physician and surgeon, psychiatrist, psychologist, dentist, resident, intern, podiatrist, chiropractor, registered nurse, dental hygienist, licensed clinical social worker or associate clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, licensed professional clinical counselor, or any other person who is currently licensed under Division 2 (commencing with Section 500) of the Business and Professions Code, any emergency medical technician I or II, paramedic, or person certified pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 1797) of the Health and Safety Code, a psychological assistant registered pursuant to Section 2913 of the Business and Professions Code, a marriage and family therapist trainee, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 4980.03 of the Business and Professions Code, an unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern registered under Section 4980.44 of the Business and Professions Code, a clinical counselor trainee, as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 4999.12 of the Business and Professions Code, a clinical counselor intern registered under Section 4999.42 of the Business and Professions Code, a state or county public health or social service employee who treats an elder or a dependent adult for any condition, a coroner, or a substance use disorder counselor. As used in this section, a “substance use disorder counselor” is a person providing counseling, therapy, or other clinical services for a state licensed or certified drug, alcohol, or drug and alcohol treatment program.

SEC. 2.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.