BILL NUMBER: SB 764 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 20, 2012
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 3, 2012
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 20, 2012
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 30, 2012
AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 12, 2012
AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 4, 2012
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 14, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Senator Steinberg
FEBRUARY 18, 2011
An act to add Section 4686.21 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to developmental services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 764, as amended, Steinberg. Developmental services: telehealth
systems program.
Under existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities
Services Act, the State Department of Developmental Services is
authorized to contract with regional centers to provide supports and
services to individuals with developmental disabilities.
This bill would require each regional center individual program
planning team to consider the use of telehealth, as defined, whenever
applicable, for the purpose of improving access to intervention and
therapeutic services for consumers and family members and for
purposes of facilitating better and cost-effective services, as
provided. The bill would require the department to implement
appropriate vendorization subcodes for telehealth services and
programs.
This bill would require the department , by December 1, 2017,
to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of
providing services to consumers using telehealth, and, by December
31, 2017, to provide information to specified committees of the
Legislature in order to evaluate the effectiveness and
appropriateness of telehealth for providing services to regional
center consumers. This bill would authorize regional centers to agree
to participate in the evaluation of telehealth services by the
department, and if a regional center agrees to participate in this
evaluation, would require the regional center to provide to the
department specified information, as requested by the department
provide to the fiscal and appropriate policy
committees of the Legislature specified information that is provided
voluntarily by regional centers relating to the provision of
telehealth services .
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to do all of the
following:
(a) Improve access to treatments and intervention services for
individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) or other
developmental disabilities and their families in underserved
populations.
(b) Provide more cost-effective treatments and intervention
services for individuals with ASDs or other developmental
disabilities and their families.
(c) Maximize the effectiveness of the interpersonal and
face-to-face interactions that are utilized for the treatment of
individuals with ASDs or other developmental disabilities.
(d) Continue maintenance and support of the existing service
workforce for individuals with ASDs or other developmental
disabilities.
SEC. 2. Section 4686.21 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
4686.21. (a) (1) To improve access to intervention and
therapeutic services for consumers and family members, including
those from underserved communities, and for purposes of facilitating
better and cost-effective services, each individual program planning
team shall consider the use of telehealth, whenever applicable.
(2) Telehealth shall be considered for parent trainings,
including, but not limited to, trainings as specified in clause (i)
of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section
4685.
(3) The State Department of Developmental Services shall implement
appropriate vendorization codes or subcodes for
telehealth services and programs.
(4) Providers of telehealth services shall maintain the privacy
and security of all confidential consumer information.
(5) The provision of a service through the use of telehealth shall
be voluntary and may be discontinued at the request of the consumer
or, as appropriate, the consumer's parent, legal guardian, or
conservator. If, at any time, a consumer or, as appropriate, the
consumer's parent, legal guardian, or conservator requests to
discontinue the provision of a service through the use of telehealth,
the regional center shall convene an individual program plan review
pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 4646.5 to determine
alternative, appropriate means for providing the service.
(b) (1) The State Department of Developmental Services shall
evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of providing services to
consumers using telehealth.
(2) Regional centers may agree to participate in the evaluation of
telehealth services by the department. If a regional center agrees
to participate in this evaluation, the regional center shall provide
to the department information, as requested by the department, on
frequency, applications, cost-effectiveness, consumer and family
satisfaction, and any other information deemed necessary by the
department to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of
telehealth for providing services to regional center consumers.
(3)
(b) By December 31, 1,
2017, based on the information provided to the department by
the participating regional centers, the department shall provide
information to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees related
to the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of providing services to
consumers using telehealth the department shall
forward to the fiscal and appropriate policy committees of the
Legislature any information that was provided voluntarily by the
regional centers to the department that was deemed relevant by the
regional centers to assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of
providing telehealth services to regional center consumers through
the individual program plan (IPP) process .
(c) For purposes of this section, "telehealth" has the same
meaning as set forth in paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section
2290.5 of the Business and Professions Code.