Legal Resources | Health and Safety Code |  25503 |  HS  120895  

Alternative sites; testing; referral lists; additional requirements   

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(a) Each county, designated by the director, shall make the test available within its jurisdiction without charge, in an accessible manner and the tests shall be made available by the county on a confidential basis through use of a coded system with no linking of individual identity with the test request or results. The number and location of sites in each county designated by the director shall be approved by the director. The test shall be made available by the county either directly or by contract with a physician and surgeon or with any clinic or health facility licensed by the department. Neither the county nor anyone else administering the test described in this section and Sections 120885 and 120890, shall ask for the name, social security number, or any other information that could reveal the identity of the individual who takes the test. Each alternative test site shall make available confidential information and referral services, within the funds available, to individuals who seek testing. A county may subcontract with individuals or entities to provide information and referral services.

All alternative test sites shall provide a referral list of physicians and surgeons or clinics knowledgeable about AIDS, to all persons who have any known risk factor for AIDS, especially those who have a reactive antibody test, for further information and explanation of the test results and for medical evaluation.

At a minimum, individuals seeking testing shall be informed about the validity and accuracy of the antibody test before the test is performed. All testing site personnel shall be required to attest to having provided the above information. Furthermore, all individuals who are tested at the sites established by this section and Sections 120885 and 120890 shall be given the results of this test in person. All sites providing antibody testing pursuant to this section and Sections 120885 and 120890 shall have a protocol for referral for 24-hour inpatient and mental health services. All individuals awaiting test results and all persons to whom results are reported shall be informed of available crisis services and shall be directly referred, if necessary.

Each county, designated by the director, shall be required to submit a plan to the department within 45 days after the effective date of this section that details where testing and pretest and posttest information and referral will be provided and the qualifications of the staff who will be performing the services required by this section and Sections 120885 and 120890. The department shall make training available, especially to smaller counties.

(b) The department shall establish a reimbursement process for counties within 30 days after the effective date of this section for the following services:

(1) Informing test applicants on the test's reliability and validity.

(2) Administration of tests, analysis of test samples, and costs associated with the laboratory work required by this antibody test.

(3) Short-term information and referral sessions, of no more than one visit per person tested for the purpose of transmitting the person's test results and, as requested, for referral to available followup services.

The department shall establish the amounts to be reimbursed for each of these services, but the amounts shall be established at a level to ensure that the purposes of this section and Sections 120885 and 120890 are carried out. Reimbursements shall be made for each service provided.

(c) The department may replace the test for the antibody to the probable causative agent for AIDS with another type of HIV test, as the department deems appropriate.

(d) The director may grant a waiver to a county from the requirements of this section and Sections 120885 and 120890 if the county petitions the director for the waiver and the director determines that the waiver is consistent with the purposes of this section and Sections 120885 and 120890.

(e) A participating county or the department may accept grants, donations, and in-kind services for purposes of carrying out this section and Sections 120885 and 120890.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 7.)