(b) A facility may refer an individual treated under an involuntary hold pursuant to Articles 1 to 4.7, inclusive, and Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of this Division to the county behavioral health agency of the county in which the individual resides, or the county in which the individual is receiving involuntary treatment, if they believe that the individual meets or is likely to meet criteria to qualify for the CARE process, as described in Section 5972.

1. (1) Referrals pursuant to this section shall be authorized by a licensed behavioral health professional, employed, by or contracted by the facility, who has knowledge of the individual’s case and has been involved in the individual’s treatment during their involuntary hold. Documentation of the authority for a referral pursuant to this paragraph shall be signed by the licensed behavioral health professional or their designee.
2. (2) If the facility chooses to make a referral pursuant to subdivision (b), the facility shall make the referral pursuant to this section as soon as clinically indicated as part of the individual’s discharge planning process.
3. (3) The facility referral shall include contact information for the referred individual, including a telephone number and address, if available, and other information as specified by the department.

(d) In accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 5984, the department shall develop a referral form to be used by the facility and issue guidance regarding the following:

1. (1) The procedure for a facility to refer an individual to a county behavioral health agency pursuant to this section.
2. (2) County behavioral health agency data reporting requirements regarding referrals made pursuant to this section include, but are not limited to, total referrals, outcomes of referrals, reason for not filing a petition, length of time from referral to outcome, and services provided for those engaged voluntarily.