Local Health Advocate to Teach Medical Marijuana Class

The California Department of Social Services (DSS) has taken a major step in supporting the right of patients who reside in California licensed residential facilities to participate in their State approved Medical Marijuana Program (MMP).

The DSS has approved a Class entitled “California’s Medical Marijuana Program and How It Relates to Adult Residential Facility Access”.  The Class is included in the DSS Continuing Education Program for owners, operators and administrators of State licensed residential care facilities and provides 4 hours of credit toward the 40-hour Continuing Education requirement for Licensing Renewal.

This groundbreaking class will help many of the patients, for whom the Compassionate Use Act was intended, to participate in the MMP.   Most residential care facility licensees have little or no understanding of California’s Medical Marijuana Program or their important role and protection as “primary caregivers” under SB 420, California’s Medical Marijuana Program Act.

The Class explains how California’s Medical Marijuana Program works, the role of the California Department of Public Health under the MMP, how Title 22 supports the Client’s participation in the MMP and the role of the Collective and Cooperative in assuring a safe, and Title 22 compliant, accommodation of a Client’s request to participate in the MMP.

The class was developed by the MCC Health Care Facilities Committee under the leadership of Susan O’Leary who chaired the Committee.  The Class is taught by MCC Training Program Director, Liz McDuffie and is offered twice a month at the MCC Training Center in Pasadena.

The MCC is working to offer this important class online in order to reach the majority of bed and board licensees who take the required Continuing Education Classes online.

The MCC is also focusing on Senior Centers in an effort to put information directly into the hands of patients, who are residing in California licensed residential care facilities, regarding their right to participate in the MMP under Title 22 Regulations.

The MCC offers assistance to patients, who reside in California licensed health care facilities, in approaching their residential care facility regarding participation in the MMP.

In addition, Bed and Board Licensees may contact the Medical Cannabis Caregivers Association for information and assistance in making an informed, safe and Title 22 compliant accommodation of the Client’s request to participate in the MMP.

Although the DSS Class was developed for California residential care facility Licensees, it also benefits medical cannabis Collectives and Cooperatives to understand Title 22 Regulations as they apply to the residential care facility access and the important benefits that the Collective and Cooperative can provide to the Licensee in accommodating their Client’s request to participate in the MMP.

Collectives and Cooperatives provide a structure that supports security, non-diversion and compliance with state and local laws.  In addition, the Collective or Cooperative is able to provide business liability insurance protection, product quality assurance and serve as an informational resource for Licensees and participants in the MMP.

The Medical Cannabis Collective or Cooperative will play a major role in enabling patients who reside in a licensed residential care facility, to participate in California’s Medical Marijuana Program.

For further information, please contact the MCC Health Care Facility at (626) 744- 3191 or visitwww.mccdirectory.org/. It is located at 50 North Mentor Ave., in Pasadena.