BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 620 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 1, 2013 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair AB 620 (Buchanan) - As Amended: April 15, 2013 Policy Committee: HealthVote:19-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill requires specified facilities, including certain intermediate care facilities, community care facilities and adult day health centers, to develop, implement, comply with and review annually, a patient or participant safety plan, as specified, for the purposes of addressing issues that arise when a patient or participant is missing from the facility. FISCAL EFFECT Negligible state costs. COMMENTS The author is concerned about the safety of individuals living in care facilities or participating in day programs. On September 30, 2012, an 86-year-old female resident wandered from an adult care home in Concord. The woman's absence was discovered by a caretaker who searched for an hour before notifying police at 5:30 pm. The resident, an Alzheimer's patient, was found dead later that evening after a police dog traced her scent. While she was missing, her relatives were not notified. Analysis Prepared by : Debra Roth / APPR. / (916) 319-2081