Certification of alcohol or other drug programs.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or funding.

Certification Rules for Alcohol and Drug Programs

This law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to set minimum standards based on American Society of Addiction Medicine criteria or similar evidence-based standards for alcohol and drug programs, and it sets a deadline for creating rules about these standards.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the State Department of Health Care Services to adopt ASAM treatment criteria or an equivalent evidence-based standard as the minimum standard of care for certified alcohol and other drug programs.
• Makes sure that certified programs maintain those standards with respect to the level of care provided by the program.
• Gives the department permission to implement these provisions through plan or provider bulletins until regulations are adopted.
• Sets a deadline of January 1, 2027, for adopting regulations about these standards.

Who It Names or Affects

• The State Department of Health Care Services
• Alcohol and other drug programs in California

Terms To Know

American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)

A professional organization that sets standards for addiction treatment.

Certified Programs

Alcohol and other drug programs that meet certain requirements set by the state.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if a program does not follow the standards.
• It is unclear how these new rules will be enforced or monitored.
• There are no details about funding for implementing and enforcing these changes.

Official Summary Text

AB 425, as amended, Davies.
Certification of alcohol
and
or
other drug programs.
Existing law grants the sole authority in state government to the State Department of Health Care Services to certify alcohol or other drug programs and to license adult alcohol or other drug
abuse
recovery or treatment facilities. Existing law requires the department to adopt the American Society of Addiction Medicine
(ASAM)
treatment criteria, or an equivalent evidence-based standard, as the minimum standard of care for licensed facilities and requires a licensee to maintain those standards with respect to the level of care to be provided by the licensee.
This bill would similarly require the department to adopt the
American Society of Addiction Medicine
ASAM
treatment criteria, or an equivalent evidence-based standard, as the minimum standard of care for alcohol or other drug programs certified by the department. The bill would also require certified programs to maintain those standards with respect to the level of care to
be
provided by the certified program.
The
The
bill would authorize the department to
implement, interpret, or make specific this section
implement these provisions
by means of plan or provider bulletins or similar instructions until regulations are adopted and
would
require that regulations be adopted by January 1,
2026.
2027.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF