SB 1300 Hospital Public Notice Requirement for Ending Supplemental Inpatient Psychiatric or Maternity Services

New law SB 1300 now requires California hospitals, 120 days prior to closing either supplemental inpatient psychiatric or maternity services, to provide public notice that includes specified information.

The information required to be provided includes a justification for the health facility’s decision to eliminate the services and demographic information about the patients that received those services in the past five years.

Within 60 days of public notice, the new law requires hospitals to hold a public hearing within 25 miles of the facility and accessible to the public remotely. The county board of supervisors must be invited to provide testimony on the impacts of the elimination of services to the county and community health systems.