Section 3610 - Parole Outpatient Clinic Services(a) Parole outpatient clinics (POC) have been established to provide mental health assessments and outpatient mental health treatment, if needed, to parolees.(b) At any time during the period of parole, the parole agent of record may refer a parolee to a POC for a screening evaluation to determine the need for a full mental health assessment.(c) POC clinical staff shall provide a mental health assessment for each referred parolee to determine if there is a need for transitional or sustained therapeutic intervention on an outpatient basis. If therapy is deemed necessary, the parolee shall be assigned to attend a POC for mental health treatment. Treatment services may be supplemented by interagency agreements/contracts with other state and county agencies. All records of mental health diagnosis, evaluation and treatment shall be considered confidential in accordance with subsection 3361(c).(d) The parole agent of record shall impose a special condition of parole to participate in a POC on all parolees assigned by clinical staff to attend POC for treatment.(e) A parolee upon whom a special condition of parole to attend a POC is imposed and who is absent without being excused by their parole agent of record or the POC clinician, or whose stated reasons for absence are later determined by the parole agent of record to be false, shall be considered in violation of their parole conditions.(f) Mandatory referral to a POC for a mental health assessment shall be made by the parole agent of record for the following:(1) Inmates who are in a mental health treatment program at the time of the prerelease case referral as described in section 3502. To provide continuity of care, a POC referral appointment shall occur as soon as possible but not more than 30 days after release to parole.(2) Parolees whose offense history, institutional history, social history, or behavior in the community, past or present, indicate that a mental health assessment may be of assistance in successful reintegration to the community.(3) Violent offenders, as designated in Penal Code (PC) section 667.5(c), and sex offenders as designated in PC section 290, for whom a mental disorder may have been a contributing factor to their commitment offense.(4) Parolees exhibiting observable symptoms of a mental disorder while under supervision in the community.(g) Parolees for whom psychotropic medications are prescribed shall be given the information upon which to base an informed consent. The parolee shall provide specific written informed consent in compliance with sections 3353 and 3363(d).(h) When the department's jurisdiction of a parolee/releasee is expiring and continued treatment or services are required, the parole agent of record, in concert with POC staff, shall assist the parolee/releasee in obtaining the services from a community mental health agency. If the services of the agencies cannot be obtained, the parolee/releasee may continue to receive parole outpatient clinic services until community services can be arranged or the services are no longer required.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 15, § 3610
1. Change without regulatory effect adding article 9 (section 3610) and renumbering former section 3706 to new section 3610 filed 7-30-2008 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2008, No. 31).
2. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 6-17-2009; operative 7-17-2009 (Register 2009, No. 25). Note: Authority cited: Section 5058, Penal Code. Reference: Sections 290, 667.5(c), 2974 and 5054, Penal Code.
1. Change without regulatory effect adding article 9 (section 3610) and renumbering former section 3706 to new section 3610 filed 7-30-2008 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2008, No. 31).
2. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 6-17-2009; operative 7-17-2009 (Register 2009, No. 25).