California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 14503.5

CA Welf & Inst Code § 14503.5 (2017)  

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “AIDS” means acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

(2) “Human immunodeficiency virus” or “HIV” means the etiologic virus of AIDS.

(3) “HIV test” means “HIV test” as defined in Section 120775 of the Health and Safety Code.

(b) The purpose of this article is to ensure that state-funded family planning programs offer AIDS information and referral services to their client population.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that family planning clients learn how to prevent the transmission of HIV, and that they take steps to prevent its transmission.

(d) For purposes of this section, “clients” shall include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) New clients to a family planning program.

(2) Clients making annual visits to a family planning program.

(3) Clients seeking pregnancy testing or family planning services.

(4) Clients seeking diagnosis and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.

(e) Any family planning program that has a grant from the Office of Family Planning to provide family planning services shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide brochures or other written materials to family planning clients that describe the high-risk conditions and behaviors for becoming infected with HIV and ways to prevent the transmission of HIV infection. To the maximum extent possible, the brochure or other written materials provided by any family planning program shall be culturally relevant and appropriate to the client populations served by the programs.

(2) Provide, as needed, family planning clients with information about and referrals to local confidential or anonymous testing and counseling sites, AIDS education programs, and other supportive services.

(f) Brochures and information required pursuant to subdivision (e) may be incorporated into existing information and health education programs provided by a family planning program.

(g) The department shall make every effort to obtain brochures and other written materials from existing resources. Local family planning programs are encouraged to supplement the brochures with other available resources, to the extent that they deem necessary and appropriate.

(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 641, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2003.)

Last modified: October 25, 2018