Article 4. State Assistance For Hospital Construction of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 107. >> Part 6. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 4.

As used in this article, "public agency" means cities, counties, and local hospital districts.

"Public agency" also means any corporation, no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, who is authorized to construct and operate a hospital.

The office shall administer this article, and shall make regulations as may be necessary to carry out its provisions.

From any state moneys made available to it for that purpose, the department shall provide assistance pursuant to this article for the construction of hospitals to public agencies that apply therefor, if the public agencies are eligible for assistance under this article and apply for and accept assistance upon the conditions specified in this article.

A public agency is eligible for state assistance under this article only if it qualifies for and receives assistance from the United States Government under the federal act.

Any public agency that applies for or accepts state assistance for any hospital under this article does so on condition that the hospital for which such assistance is requested and accepted, at all times during which it is operated, (a) shall be qualified for a license under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1400) of Division 2 of this code (whether or not Chapter 2 is otherwise applicable to the hospital), and be subject to inspection under Chapter 2 to the same extent as are other hospitals to which Chapter 2 applies; or shall be qualified for a license under Part 2 (commencing with Section 5699) of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (whether or not Division 5 is otherwise applicable to the hospital), and be subject to inspection under Division 5 to the same extent as are other hospitals to which Division 5 applies; and (b) shall not restrict patients to those unable to pay for their care.

The amount of state assistance that shall be provided to any public agency for any hospital under this article shall be a sum equal to the assistance received by the agency for its project under the federal act, but in no event shall the amount of the state assistance exceed one-third of the cost of construction of the project.

Application for state assistance under this article shall be made to the office, in the manner and form prescribed by the office. The office shall prescribe the time and manner of payment of state assistance, if granted.

Funds utilized for community mental health center purposes shall be allocated in a manner consistent with the intent of Section 9000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and priority shall be given to the establishment or enlargement of clinical service facilities in general hospitals that are a part of a project proposal that provides a comprehensive service.