(a) “Special service” means a functional division, department, or unit of a health facility that is organized, staffed, and equipped to provide a specific type or types of patient care and that has been identified by regulations of the state department and for which the state department has established special standards for quality of care. “Special service” does not include a functional division, department, or unit of a nursing facility, as defined in subdivision (k) of Section 1250, that is organized, staffed, and equipped to provide inpatient physical therapy services, occupational therapy services, or speech pathology and audiology services to residents of the facility if these services are provided solely to meet the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services certification requirements. “Special service” includes physical therapy services, occupational therapy services, or speech pathology and audiology services provided by a nursing facility, as defined in subdivision (k) of Section 1250, to outpatients.

(b) This section does not limit the department’s ability to evaluate compliance with the therapy requirements for nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities established in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations during investigations or inspections, including, but not limited to, inspections conducted pursuant to Section 1422, or to limit the department’s ability to enforce the therapy requirements.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 288, Sec. 1. (AB 1974) Effective January 1, 2015.)