CA Health & Safety Code Section 1233.5

By June 30, 1995, a licensed clinic board of directors and its medical director shall establish and adopt written policies and procedures to screen patients for purposes of detecting spousal or partner abuse. The policies shall include procedures to accomplish all of the following:

(a)

Identifying, as part of its medical screening, spousal or partner abuse among patients.

(b)

Documenting in the medical record patient injuries or illnesses attributable to spousal or partner abuse.

(c)

Providing to patients who exhibit signs of spousal or partner abuse a current referral list of private and public community agencies that provide, or arrange for, the evaluation, counseling, and care of persons experiencing spousal or partner abuse, including, but not limited to, hot lines, local battered women’s shelters, legal services, and information about temporary restraining orders.

(d)

Designating licensed clinical staff to be responsible for the implementation of these guidelines. It is the intent of the Legislature that clinics, for purposes of satisfying the requirements of this section, adopt guidelines similar to those developed by the American Medical Association regarding domestic violence detection and referral. The Legislature recognizes that while guidelines evolve and change, the American Medical Association’s guidelines may serve, at this time, as a model for clinics to follow.