Health and Safety Code section 1418.23
(a)
The Legislature finds and declares that it is the public policy of this state to ensure the health and safety of highly vulnerable persons residing in skilled nursing facilities during an emergency, natural disaster, wildfire, or other cause requiring the evacuation of residents.(b)
The external disaster and mass casualty program plan required to be adopted pursuant to Section 72551 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations shall be reviewed at least once per year. In adopting and updating the plan, a skilled nursing facility shall do all of the following:(1)
Seek input from county or regional and local planning offices, including the medical health operational area coordinator (MHOAC).(2)
Incorporate, to the extent feasible, lessons learned from any recent major disasters that impacted skilled nursing facilities in California.(3)
Provide copies of the plan, including updates, to local or regional emergency planning offices, including the MHOAC.(c)
This section shall not apply to any facility owned or operated by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which shall maintain disaster and mass casualty plans in accordance with Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation regulations and policies.
Source:
Section 1418.23, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=1418.23. (updated Jan. 1, 2026; accessed Dec. 8, 2025).
