BILL NUMBER: AB 2397	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Allen

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act to add Section 4140 to the Welfare and Institutions Code,
relating to mental health.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2397, as introduced, Allen. Mental health: state hospitals:
ancillary clinical staff-to-patient ratios.
   Existing law provides for state hospitals for the care, treatment,
and education of mentally disordered persons. These hospitals are
under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Mental Health,
which is authorized by existing law to adopt regulations regarding
the conduct and management of these facilities.
   This bill would require these state hospitals to have, at a
minimum, an ancillary clinical staff-to-patient ratio of 1 to 25 for
each applicable staff classification, based on the facility's
licensed bed capacity with a specified shift relief factor.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 4140 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
   4140.  (a) A state hospital under the jurisdiction of the State
Department of Mental Health shall have, at a minimum, an ancillary
clinical staff-to-patient ratio of 1 to 25 for each applicable staff
classification.
   (b) The ancillary clinical staff-to-patient ratios shall be based
on the facility's licensed bed capacity with a shift relief factor of
0.2, as calculated by the State Department of Mental Health, to
reflect absences, such as those due to illness, vacation, and
training.
   (c) For the purposes of this section, ancillary clinical staff
includes, but is not limited to, psychiatric, psychological, social
worker, and rehabilitative staff.