121365
. Each local health officer is hereby directed to use every
available means to ascertain the existence of, and immediately
investigate all reported or suspected cases of active tuberculosis
disease in the jurisdiction, and to ascertain the sources of those
infections. In carrying out the investigations, each local health
officer shall follow applicable local rules and regulations and all
general and special rules, regulations, and orders of the state
department. If the local health officer determines that the public
health in general or the health of a particular person is endangered
by exposure to a person who is known to have active tuberculosis
disease, or to a person for whom there are reasonable grounds to
believe has active tuberculosis disease, the local health officer may
issue any orders he or she deems necessary to protect the public
health or the health of any other person, and may make application to
a court for enforcement of the orders. Upon the receipt of
information that any order has been violated, the health officer
shall advise the district attorney of the county in which the
violation has occurred, in writing, and shall submit to the district
attorney the information in his or her possession relating to the
subject matter of the order, and of the violation or violations
thereof.
The orders may include, but shall not be limited to, any of the
following:
(a) An order authorizing the removal to, detention in, or
admission into, a health facility or other treatment facility for
appropriate examination for active tuberculosis disease of a person
who is known to have active tuberculosis disease, or a person for
whom there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person has
active tuberculosis disease and who is unable or unwilling
voluntarily to submit to the examination by a physician or by the
local health officer. Any person whom the health officer determines
should have an examination for tuberculosis disease may have the
examination made by a physician and surgeon of his or her own choice
who is licensed to practice medicine under Chapter 5 (commencing with
Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code
under terms and conditions as the local health officer shall
determine on reasonable grounds to be necessary to protect the public
health. This section does not authorize the local health officer to
mandate involuntary anergy testing.
(b) An order requiring a person who has active tuberculosis
disease to complete an appropriate prescribed course of medication
for tuberculosis disease and, if necessary, to follow required
infection control precautions for tuberculosis disease. This
subdivision does not allow the forceable or involuntary
administration of medication.
(c) An order requiring a person who has active tuberculosis
disease and who is unable or unwilling otherwise to complete an
appropriate prescribed course of medication for tuberculosis disease
to follow a course of directly observed therapy. This subdivision
does not allow forceable or involuntary administration of medication.
(d) An order for the removal to, detention in, or admission into,
a health facility or other treatment facility of a person if both of
the following occur:
(1) The person has infectious tuberculosis disease, or who
presents a substantial likelihood of having infectious tuberculosis
disease, based upon proven epidemiologic evidence, clinical evidence,
X-ray readings, or tuberculosis laboratory test results.
(2) The local health officer finds, based on recognized infection
control principles, that there is a substantial likelihood the person
may transmit tuberculosis to others because of his or her inadequate
separation from others.
(e) An order for the removal to, detention in, or admission into,
a health facility or other treatment facility of a person if both of
the following occur:
(1) The person has active tuberculosis disease, or has been
reported to the health officer as having active tuberculosis disease
with no subsequent report to the health officer of the completion of
an appropriate prescribed course of medication for tuberculosis
disease.
(2) There is a substantial likelihood, based on the person's past
or present behavior, that he or she cannot be relied upon to
participate in or complete an appropriate prescribed course of
medication for tuberculosis disease and, if necessary, follow
required infection control precautions for tuberculosis disease. The
behavior may include, but is not limited to, refusal or failure to
take medication for tuberculosis disease, refusal or failure to keep
appointments or treatment for tuberculosis disease, refusal or
failure to complete the treatment for tuberculosis disease, or
disregard for infection control precautions for active tuberculosis
disease.
(f) An order for exclusion from attendance at the workplace for
persons with infectious tuberculosis disease. The order may, also,
exclude the person from any place when the local health officer
determines that the place cannot be maintained in a manner adequate
to protect others against the spread of tuberculosis disease.
(g) An order for isolation of persons with infectious tuberculosis
disease to their place of residence until the local health officer
has determined that they no longer have infectious tuberculosis
disease.
(h) This section shall apply to all persons except those
incarcerated in a state correctional institution.
(i) This section shall not be construed to require a private
hospital or other private treatment facility to accept any patient
without a payment source, including county responsibilities under
Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, except as
required by Sections 1317 et seq. or by federal law.