Alcohol and drug programs.

Senator Umberg's legislation establishes new timelines and enforcement protocols for investigating unlicensed alcohol and drug treatment facilities in California, while expanding oversight of relationships between licensed providers and recovery residences.

The Department of Public Health must now initiate investigations of allegedly unlicensed facilities within 10 days of receiving complaints and complete them within 60 days. Department staff must provide written notice to facilities found operating without licenses within 10 days of submitting investigation findings, conduct follow-up site visits to verify compliance, and may extend investigations up to 90 days with proper notification. If the department fails to meet these deadlines, local city attorneys, county counsel, or behavioral health agencies may enforce the provisions.

The bill requires licensed treatment facilities and certified programs to disclose any contractual relationships with entities providing professional or treatment services to their clients. When the department takes enforcement action against an unlicensed recovery residence, it must conduct site visits of any licensed facility that reported financial interests or control of that residence. Facilities found operating without licenses face $2,000 daily civil penalties and five-year prohibitions on applying for licensure.

Recovery residences are defined as residential dwellings providing cooperative living arrangements supporting substance use disorder recovery without requiring department licensure or providing licensable services. This includes sober living homes, sober living environments, and unlicensed alcohol and drug-free residences.