Public health: Body Brokering and Patient Referral Integrity Act.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or consequences for violations.

Body Brokering and Patient Referral Integrity Act

The Body Brokering and Patient Referral Integrity Act makes it illegal to offer or accept money or other rewards to refer people to residential treatment facilities for alcohol, drug use disorders, or behavioral health issues.

What This Bill Does

• Makes it against the law for anyone to give or take money or other benefits to get someone referred to a place that helps with alcohol, drug use disorders, or mental health issues.
• Defines a 'residential treatment facility' as any home or similar place where people live and receive help for their alcohol, drug use, or behavioral health recovery needs.
• Says breaking this law is a misdemeanor.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who run residential treatment facilities
• Individuals seeking help for substance abuse or behavioral health issues

Terms To Know

Misdemeanor

A crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than an infraction.

Residential Treatment Facility

A place where people live and receive treatment for alcohol or drug use disorders, or behavioral health recovery needs.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what happens if someone breaks this law.
• The bill does not provide details on how the new rules will be enforced by the State Department of Health Care Services.

Official Summary Text

AB 2614, as introduced, Dixon.
Public health: Body Brokering and Patient Referral Integrity Act.
Under existing law, the State Department of Health Care Services is responsible for administering prevention, treatment, and recovery services for alcohol and drug abuse and problem gambling. Existing law defines “alcohol and other drug services” as a service that is designed to encourage recovery from the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and “alcohol and other drug abuse program” as a collection of alcohol and other drug services that are coordinated to achieve specified objectives. Existing law also provides for the licensure and regulation of adult alcoholism or drug abuse recovery and treatment facilities by the department and authorizes the department to enforce those provisions.
This bill, the Body Brokering and Patient Referral Integrity Act, would prohibit any person from offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving a commission, benefit,
bonus, or other form of remuneration or from engaging in a split-fee arrangement to induce a referral to a residential treatment facility or in return for acceptance of an individual into a residential treatment facility. The bill would make a violation of that provision a misdemeanor. The bill would define a “residential treatment facility” to include any sober living home, group home, recovery residence, residential care facility, or similar facility providing housing or residential services, in connection with alcohol or substance use disorder treatment or behavioral health recovery. By creating a new 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.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF