AB 1089, Ian Calderon. Foster care.
The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act authorizes the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and support to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The services and supports to be provided to a regional center consumer are contained in an individual program plan or individualized family service plan developed in accordance with prescribed requirements.
Existing law also provides that if a consumer is or has been determined to be eligible for services by a regional center, he or she shall also be considered eligible by any other regional center if he or she has moved to another location within the state. In addition, existing law provides that whenever a consumer transfers from one regional center catchment area to another, the level and types of services and supports specified in the consumer’s individual program plan shall be authorized and secured, as specified.
This bill would specify the transfer procedures that would apply when a consumer of regional center services who has an order for foster care, is awaiting foster care placement, or is placed in out-of-home care transfers between regional centers. Among other things, the bill would require the county social worker or county probation officer to immediately send a notice of relocation, as defined, to the sending regional center of the consumer who meets the criteria set forth above, and would require the sending regional center to immediately send a notice of transfer, as defined, and records needed for the planning process to the receiving regional center, as specified. The bill would establish specific timelines and procedures for making these transfers. By imposing new duties and a higher level of service on county employees, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would include a statement of legislative findings and declarations.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) Children in foster care are at increased risk for serious developmental delays and disabilities as a result of abuse, neglect, and prenatal exposure to drugs.
(b) Timely and consistent provision of quality remediation and therapeutic services for children with developmental delays and disabilities, such as those provided by California’s regional centers, have been shown to greatly improve outcomes for these children. Unfortunately, children in foster care are at increased risk for a disruption in services due to frequent placement changes. These disruptions cause dramatic setbacks in a child’s development and well-being.
(c) It is imperative that children in foster care experience minimal interruptions in developmental services. If circumstances do not allow for advance planning during the transfer from one regional center’s catchment area to another’s, it is critical to facilitate continuity of services with a minimum of interruption.
(d) Therefore, regional centers shall put a high priority on minimizing delays in providing developmental services to children in the foster care system.
Section 95014 of the Government Code, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 30 of the Statutes of 2014, is amended to read:
(a) The term “eligible infant or toddler” for the purposes of this title means infants and toddlers from birth through two years of age, for whom a need for early intervention services, as specified in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1431 et seq.) and applicable regulations, is documented by means of assessment and evaluation as required in Sections 95016 and 95018 and who meet one of the following criteria:
(1) Infants and toddlers with a developmental delay in one or more of the following five areas: cognitive development; physical and motor development, including vision and hearing; communication development; social or emotional development; or adaptive development. Developmentally delayed infants and toddlers are those who are determined to have a significant difference between the expected level of development for their age and their current level of functioning. This determination shall be made by qualified personnel who are recognized by, or part of, a multidisciplinary team, including the parents. A significant difference is defined as a 33-percent delay in one or more developmental areas.
(2) Infants and toddlers with established risk conditions, who are infants and toddlers with conditions of known etiology or conditions with established harmful developmental consequences. The conditions shall be diagnosed by a qualified personnel recognized by, or part of, a multidisciplinary team, including the parents. The condition shall be certified as having a high probability of leading to developmental delay if the delay is not evident at the time of diagnosis.
(3) Infants and toddlers who are at high risk of having substantial developmental disability due to a combination of biomedical risk factors, the presence of which are diagnosed by qualified personnel recognized by, or part of, a multidisciplinary team, including the parents.
(b) Regional centers and local educational agencies shall be responsible for ensuring that eligible infants and toddlers are served as follows:
(1) The State Department of Developmental Services and regional centers shall be responsible for the provision of appropriate early intervention services that are required for California’s participation in Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1431 et seq.) for all infants eligible under Section 95014, except for those infants with solely a visual, hearing, or severe orthopedic impairment, or any combination of those impairments, who meet the criteria in Sections 56026 and 56026.5 of the Education Code, and in Section 3030(a), (b), (d), or (e) of, and Section 3031 of, Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.
(2) The State Department of Education and local educational agencies shall be responsible for the provision of appropriate early intervention services in accordance with Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1431 et seq.) for infants with solely a visual, hearing, or severe orthopedic impairment, or any combination of those impairments, who meet the criteria in Sections 56026 and 56026.5 of the Education Code, and in Section 3030(a), (b), (d), or (e) of, and Section 3031 of, Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, and who are not eligible for services under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500) of the Welfare and Institutions Code).
(3) The transfer procedures and timelines, as provided under subdivision (d) of Section 4643.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, shall apply if the circumstances pertaining to an eligible infant or toddler are that the child (A) has an order for foster care placement, is awaiting foster care placement, or is placed in out-of-home care through voluntary placement as defined in subdivision (o) of Section 11400 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and (B) transfers between regional centers.
(c) For infants and toddlers and their families who are eligible to receive services from both a regional center and a local educational agency, the regional center shall be the agency responsible for providing or purchasing appropriate early intervention services that are beyond the mandated responsibilities of local educational agencies and that are required for California’s participation in Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1431 et seq.). The local educational agency shall provide special education services up to its funded program capacity as established annually by the State Department of Education in consultation with the State Department of Developmental Services and the Department of Finance.
(d) No agency or multidisciplinary team, including any agency listed in Section 95012, shall presume or determine eligibility, including eligibility for medical services, for any other agency. However, regional centers and local educational agencies shall coordinate intake, evaluation, assessment, and individualized family service plans for infants and toddlers and their families who are served by an agency.
(e) Upon termination of the program pursuant to Section 95003, the State Department of Developmental Services shall be responsible for the payment of services pursuant to this title.
(f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2015.
Section 4643.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
(a) If a consumer is or has been determined to be eligible for services by a regional center, he or she shall also be considered eligible by any other regional center if he or she has moved to another location within the state.
(b) An individual who is determined by any regional center to have a developmental disability shall remain eligible for services from regional centers unless a regional center, following a comprehensive reassessment, concludes that the original determination that the individual has a developmental disability is clearly erroneous.
(c) Whenever a consumer transfers from one regional center catchment area to another, the level and types of services and supports specified in the consumer’s individual program plan (IPP) shall be authorized and secured, if available, pending the development of a new IPP for the consumer. If these services and supports do not exist, the regional center shall convene a meeting to develop a new IPP within 30 days. Prior to approval of the new IPP, the regional center shall provide alternative services and supports that best meet the IPP objectives in the least restrictive setting. The department shall develop guidelines that describe the responsibilities of regional centers in ensuring a smooth transition of services and supports from one regional center to another, including, but not limited to, pretransferring planning and a dispute resolution process to resolve disagreements between regional centers regarding their responsibilities related to the transfer of case management services.
(d) (1) The following procedures shall apply to a consumer who is transferred from one regional center’s catchment area to a different catchment area and meets any of the following conditions:
(A) The consumer has an order for foster care placement.
(B) The consumer is awaiting foster care placement.
(C) The consumer is placed in out-of-home care through voluntary placement as defined in subdivision (o) of Section 11400.
(2) (A) The county social worker or county probation officer shall immediately send a notice of relocation to the consumer’s regional center of origin, which is the sending regional center, regarding a consumer who meets the criteria set forth in paragraph (1). The consumer’s court-appointed attorney may also provide written notice of relocation. The notice of relocation shall be deemed received when the sending regional center receives written notice of relocation.
(B) Upon receiving the notice of relocation, the sending regional center shall immediately send a notice of transfer, and records needed for the planning process, including, but not limited to, the current IPP or individualized family services plan (IFSP), assessments, contact information for the consumer, the caregiver, the consumer's legal guardian, the current developmental services decisionmaker, and the current educational rights holder, by priority mail, facsimile, or email, to the receiving regional center, which is the regional center in the catchment area that the child will be transferred to.
(C) (i) The receiving regional center shall provide the sending regional center with contact information for a staff member who is available to confer with the planning team at the sending regional center regarding the types of services and providers available to address the service needs of the consumer in his or her new residential location.
(ii) Within 14 days of the notice of transfer, the receiving regional center shall provide the sending regional center with information regarding appropriate vendors and services to meet the needs of the consumer.
(iii) The sending regional center shall confer with the planning team and, using information provided by the receiving regional center, determine whether changes to the current IPP or IFSP are needed to meet the service needs of the consumer in the new residential location.
(iv) Prior to transfer of case management, the sending regional center shall ensure that services needed to support the consumer in the new residential location are included in the IPP or IFSP and the consumer is receiving the services and supports listed in the new or revised IPP or IFSP.
(3) (A) In the case of a consumer receiving services under this division, notwithstanding subdivision (g) of Section 4646, the sending regional center shall make every reasonable effort to initiate services, as provided for in the consumer’s current IPP, as soon as possible following the notice of transfer to a new catchment area, but no later than 30 days from the date of notice of transfer. Efforts shall begin in advance of the IPP meeting. If all services identified in the consumer’s IPP have not been initiated within 30 calendar days of the notice of transfer, the regional center shall report to the court of jurisdiction as described in subparagraph (B).
(B) If all services identified in the consumer’s IPP have not been initiated within 30 calendar days after the notice of transfer, the sending regional center shall report in writing to the court, the county social worker or probation officer, as applicable, and the developmental services decisionmaker, all services that are being provided to the consumer, and the process to secure any additional services that have been identified in the consumer’s IPP but not yet initiated. If all services identified in the consumer’s IPP have not been initiated within 30 days, the regional center shall report in writing to the court, county social worker, probation officer, as applicable, and the developmental services decisionmaker at 30-day intervals until all services are initiated.
(C) (i) Services shall continue to be provided pursuant to subparagraph (A), pending the court’s appointment of a developmental services decisionmaker, pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 319, subdivision (a) of Section 361, or subdivision (b) of Section 726.
(ii) If the regional center is unable to obtain confirmation of the parent’s, guardian’s, or current developmental services decisionmaker’s participation in the IPP meeting, the regional center shall notify the court having jurisdiction, the county placing agency, and the consumer’s attorney that the appointment of a new developmental services decisionmaker may be necessary.
(4) In the case of a consumer receiving services under the California Early Intervention Program pursuant to Title 14 (commencing with Section 95000) of the Government Code, the following procedures shall apply:
(A) The sending regional center shall make every reasonable effort to initiate services, as provided for in the consumer’s current IFSP, as soon as possible following the notice of transfer but no later than 30 calendar days from the date of notice of transfer. Efforts shall begin in advance of the IFSP meeting. If all services identified in the consumer’s IFSP have not been initiated within 30 calendar days of the notice of transfer, the regional center shall report to the court of jurisdiction as described in subparagraph (B).
(B) If all services identified in the consumer’s IFSP have not been initiated within 30 calendar days of the notice of transfer, the sending regional center shall report in writing to the court, the county social worker or probation officer, as applicable, and the educational rights holder, all services that are being provided to the consumer, and the process to secure any additional services that have been identified in the consumer’s IFSP but not initiated. If all services identified in the consumer’s IFSP have not been initiated within 30 days, the regional center shall report in writing to the court, county social worker, probation officer, as applicable, and the educational rights holder at 30-day intervals until all services are initiated.
(C) (i) Services not requiring consent shall continue to be provided pursuant to subparagraph (A) pending the court’s appointment of an educational rights holder, pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 319, subdivision (a) of Section 361, or subdivision (b) of Section 726.
(ii) If the regional center is unable to obtain confirmation of the parent’s, guardian’s, or current educational rights holder participation in the IFSP meeting, the regional center shall notify the court of jurisdiction, the county placing agency, and the consumer’s attorney that the appointment of a new educational rights holder may be necessary.
(e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) “Consumer” refers to individuals as defined in Section 4512 and any eligible infant or toddler, as defined in Section 95014 of the Government Code.
(2) “Initiation of services” means the point at which the consumer begins to receive a particular service and may include assessment procedures for services, if necessary, if those services begin immediately following the completion of the assessment.
(3) “Notice of relocation” means a written notice informing a regional center that currently serves a consumer described in subdivision (d) that the consumer has been relocated to a foster home that is located in a catchment area that is not served by that regional center. “Notice of relocation” includes, at a minimum, the following information:
(A) The consumer’s name, date of birth, and current address.
(B) The name of the consumer’s caregiver.
(C) The court of jurisdiction.
(D) The name of, and contact information for, the consumer’s educational rights holder or developmental services decisionmaker, if applicable.
(E) The name of, and contact information for, any person who may provide authorization and consent for the release of the consumer’s regional center records or vendor assessment records, or both.
(4) “Notice of transfer” means a written notice that a consumer described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) is transferring from a regional center located in one catchment area to a regional center located in a different catchment area and includes, at a minimum, the following information:
(A) The consumer’s name and date of birth.
(B) The name of, and contact information for, the consumer’s parent, or the consumer’s educational rights holder or developmental services decisionmaker, if applicable.
(C) The name of, and contact information for, the consumer’s current caregiver.
(D) A copy of the consumer’s current IFSP or IPP.
(E) The name of, and contact information for, the child’s county social workers.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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