(a) In the event of an emergency, such as earthquake, fire, or flood that threatens the safety or welfare of the residents in a facility, the facility shall do all of the following:
(1) Notify, as soon as possible, family members, guardians of residents, the State Department of Public Health, and the ombudsperson for that facility of the emergency and the steps that the facility plans to take for the welfare of the residents.
(2) Provide the services set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 1336.2 if further relocation of a resident is necessary.
(3) Undertake prompt medical assessment of, and provide counseling as needed to, residents whose further relocation is not necessary but who have suffered or may suffer adverse health consequences due to the emergency or sudden transfer.
(b) (1) Each facility shall adopt a written emergency preparedness plan and shall make that plan available to the State Department of Public Health upon request. The plan shall comply with the requirements in this section and the State Department of Public Health’s Contingency Plan for Licensed Facilities. The facility, as part of its emergency preparedness planning, shall seek to enter into reciprocal or other agreements with nearby facilities and hospitals to provide temporary care for residents in the event of an emergency. The facility shall report to the State Department of Public Health the name of any facility or hospital that fails or refuses to enter into such agreements and the stated reason for that failure or refusal.
(2) Section 1336.2 shall not apply in the event of transfers made pursuant to an emergency preparedness plan. In any event, however, the facility shall provide the notice and services described in subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 185, Sec. 4. (AB 275) Effective January 1, 2018.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018