§ 238l — Recovery

(a) If any facility with respect to which funds have been paid under the Community Mental Health Centers Act [42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.] (as such Act was in effect prior to October 1, 1981) is, at any time within twenty years after the completion of remodeling, construction, or expansion or after the date of its acquisition— (1) sold or transferred to any entity (A) which would not have been qualified to file an application under section 222 of such Act [42 U.S.C. 2689j] (as such section was in effect prior to October 1, 1981) or (B) which is disapproved as a transferee by the State mental health agency or by another entity designated by the chief executive officer of the State, or (2) ceases to be used by a community mental health center in the provision of comprehensive mental health services, (b) The transferor and transferee of a facility that is sold or transferred as described in subsection (a)(1), or the owner of a facility the use of which changes as described in subsection (a)(2), shall provide the Secretary written notice of such sale, transfer, or change within 10 days after the date on which such sale, transfer, or cessation of use occurs or within 30 days after October 22, 1985, whichever is later. (1) The base amount that the United States is entitled to recover under subsection (a) is the amount bearing the same ratio to the then value (as determined by the agreement of the parties or in an action brought in the district court of the United States for the district in which the facility is situated) of so much of the facility as constituted an approved project or projects as the amount of the Federal participation bore to the cost of the remodeling, construction, expansion, or acquisition of the project or projects. (A) The interest that the United States is entitled to recover under subsection (a) is the interest for the period (if any) described in subparagraph (B) at a rate (determined by the Secretary) based on the average of the bond equivalent rates of ninety-one-day Treasury bills auctioned during that period. (B) The period referred to in subparagraph (A) is the period beginning— (i) if notice is provided as prescribed by subsection (b), 191 days after the date on which such sale, transfer, or cessation of use occurs, or (ii) if notice is not provided as prescribed by subsection (b), 11 days after such sale, transfer, or cessation of use occurs, (d) The Secretary may waive the recovery rights of the United States under subsection (a) with respect to a facility (under such conditions as the Secretary may establish by regulation) if the Secretary determines that there is good cause for waiving such rights. (e) The right of recovery of the United States under subsection (a) shall not, prior to judgment, constitute a lien on any facility.