Section 1502.3 Of Article 1. General Provisions From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.
1502.3
. For purposes of this chapter, a "community care facility,"
pursuant to Section 1502, includes a transitional shelter care
facility. A "transitional shelter care facility" means a short-term
residential care program that meets all of the following
requirements:
(a) It is owned by the county, and operated by the county or by a
private nonprofit organization under contract to the county.
(b) It is a group care facility that provides for 24-hour
nonmedical care of persons, under 18 years of age, who are in need of
personal services, supervision, or assistance that is essential for
sustaining the activities of daily living, or for the protection of
the individual on a short-term basis. As used in this section,
"short-term" means up to 90 days from the date of admission.
(c) It is for the sole purpose of providing care for children who
have been removed from their homes as a result of abuse or neglect,
or both; for children who have been adjudged wards of the court; and,
for children who are seriously emotionally disturbed children. For
purposes of this subdivision, "abuse or neglect" means the same as
defined in Section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. For
purposes of this subdivision, "wards of the court" means the same as
defined in Section 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. For
purposes of this subdivision, "seriously emotionally disturbed
children" means the same as defined in subdivision (a) of Section
5600.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(d) It primarily serves children who have previously been placed
in a community care facility and are awaiting placement into a
different community care facility that is appropriate to their needs.
Children residing in transitional shelter care facilities may
include children who are very difficult to place in appropriate
community care facilities because of factors which may be present in
combination, including: threatening, aggressive, suicide, runaway or
destructive behaviors and behaviors as defined in Section 5600.3 of
the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(e) Based upon an agreement with the county, the licensee shall
agree to accept, for placement into its transitional shelter care
program, all children referred by the county.
(f) The licensee shall not discharge any child without the
permission of the county, except when a child:
(1) Commits an unlawful act and the child must be detained in a
juvenile institution.
(2) Requires either of the following:
(A) Physical health care in an acute care hospital.
(B) Mental health services in an acute psychiatric hospital.
(g) The licensee shall provide a program that is designed to be
flexible enough to care for a highly variable population size and
shall allow for the special needs of sibling groups.