When the director of behavioral health in a county is notified pursuant to Section 319.1 or 635.1, or Section 7572.5 of the Government Code about a specific case, the county behavioral health director shall assign the responsibility either directly or through contract with a private provider, to review the information and assess whether or not the child is seriously emotionally disturbed as well as to determine the level of involvement in the case needed to assure access to appropriate mental health treatment services and whether appropriate treatment is available through the minor’s own resources, those of the family or another private party, including a third-party payer, or through another agency, and to ensure access to services available within the county’s program. This determination shall be submitted in writing to the notifying agency within 30 days. If in the course of evaluating the minor, the county behavioral health director determines that the minor may be dangerous, the county behavioral health director may request the court to direct counsel not to reveal information to the minor relating to the name and address of the person who prepared the subject report. If appropriate treatment is not available within the county’s Bronzan-McCorquodale program, nothing in this section shall prevent the court from ordering treatment directly or through a family’s private resources.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 455, Sec. 35. (SB 804) Effective January 1, 2016.)