Bill > SB876

This bill mandates that starting June 1, 2027, any facility providing alcohol-free and drug-free housing for individuals with substance-related or co-occurring mental and substance-related disorders, known as a "recovery residence," must be certified by a credentialing entity approved by the Department of Health before it can operate in the state. A "credentialing entity" is an organization tasked with developing and managing the certification process, including setting standards, administering applications, conducting inspections, and issuing certificates of compliance, which are valid for one year. The bill also clarifies that recovery residences do not provide clinical treatment services and removes them from a previous exemption that allowed them to operate without being licensed by the Secretary of Health. Furthermore, it requires both the Department and the credentialing entities to maintain and publish lists of certified recovery residences and prohibits anyone from falsely advertising a residence as certified.