AB 1231, as amended, V. Manuel Pérez. Regional centers: telehealth and teledentistry.
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, including autism.
This bill would, until January 1, 2019, require the department to inform all regional centers thatbegin delete behavioralend deletebegin insert any appropriateend insert healthbegin delete treatment to treat pervasive developmental disorder or autismend deletebegin insert serviceend insert may be provided through
the use of telehealth, as defined, and that dentistry may be provided through the use of teledentistry, as defined. The bill would require the department to provide technical assistance to regional centers on the use of telehealth and teledentistry and to request those centers to include a consideration of telehealth and teledentistry in individual program plans and individualized family services plans, as specifiedbegin insert, and to consider the use of telehealth and teledentistry services for inclusion in training programs for parentsend insert.
The bill wouldbegin delete require providers of telehealth and teledentistry services to maintain the privacy and security of all confidential consumer information. The bill wouldend delete provide that the provision of a service through the use of telehealth and
teledentistry shall be voluntary and may be discontinued at the request of the consumer, as specified. The bill would require the department, on or before December 1, 2017, to forward to the fiscal and appropriate policy committees of the Legislature information provided by the regional centers to assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of providing telehealth and teledentistry services to regional center consumers, as specified.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(1) Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) now affect one in every
488 children of all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
5(2) ASD is now the fastest growing developmental disability in
6California and the nation and is more common than childhood
7cancer, juvenile diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined.
8(3) Approximately two-thirds of all new consumers who are
9entering the regional center system are now diagnosed with ASD.
10(4) Behavioral health treatment (BHT), also known as early
11intervention therapy or applied behavior analysis, is established
12to improve brain function, cognitive abilities, and activities of
13daily living for a significant number of individuals with ASD, but
14may not be accessible or available in underserved communities.
15(5) A significant number of individuals with ASD suffer from
16inadequate dental care.
17(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to do all of the following:
18(1) Improve access to treatments and intervention services for
19individuals with ASD or other developmental disabilities and their
20families in underserved populations.
21(2) Provide more cost-effective treatments and intervention
22services for individuals with ASD or other developmental
23disabilities and their families.
P3 1(3) Maximize the effectiveness of the interpersonal and
2face-to-face interactions that are utilized for the treatment of
3individuals with ASD or other developmental disabilities.
4(4) Continue maintenance and support of the existing service
5workforce for individuals with ASD or other developmental
6disabilities.
7(5) Utilize telehealth and teledentistry to improve services for
8individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities.
Section 4686.21 is added to the Welfare and
10Institutions Code, to read:
(a) The department shall do all of the following:
12(1) Inform all regional centers thatbegin delete behavioral health treatmentend delete
13begin insert any appropriate health service, including, but not limited to,
14behavioral health treatment end insert may be provided through the use of
15telehealth.
16(2) Inform all regional centers that dentistry may be provided
17through the use of teledentistry.
18(3) Request regional centers to include a
consideration of
19telehealth and teledentistry in each individual program plan (IPP)
20and individualized family service plan (IFSP) that includes a
21discussion of behavioral health treatment or dental health care.
22(4) Request regional centers to consider the use of telehealth
23and teledentistry services for inclusion in training programs for
24parents, including, but not limited to, group training programs as
25described in clause (i) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of
26subdivision (c) of Section 4685.
27(4)
end delete
28begin insert(end insertbegin insert5)end insert Provide, using existing resources, and in partnership with
29other organizations, resources, and stakeholders, technical
30assistance to regional centers regarding the use of telehealth and
31teledentistry.
32(b) The use of telehealth and teledentistry services shall be
33considered for inclusion in training programs for parents, including,
34but not limited to, group training programs as described in clause
35(i) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of
36Section 4685.
37(c)
end delete
38begin insert(end insertbegin insertb)end insert The department may implement appropriate vendorization
39subcodes for telehealth and teledentistry services and programs.
P4 1(d) Providers of telehealth and teledentistry services shall
2maintain the privacy and security of all confidential
consumer
3information.
4(e)
end delete
5begin insert(end insertbegin insertc)end insert The provision of a service through the use of telehealth and
6teledentistry shall be voluntary and may be discontinued at the
7request of the consumer or, as appropriate, the consumer’s parent,
8legal guardian, or conservator. If, at any time, a consumer or, as
9appropriate, the consumer’s parent, legal guardian, or conservator
10requests to discontinue the provision of a service through the use
11of telehealth or teledentistry, the regional center shall convene a
12review to determine alternative, appropriate means
for providing
13the service.
14(f)
end delete
15begin insert(end insertbegin insertd)end insert On or before December 1, 2017, the department shall forward
16to the fiscal and appropriate policy committees of the Legislature
17any information provided by the regional centers to the department
18to assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of providing
19telehealth and teledentistry services to regional center consumers
20through the IPP and IFSP processes.
21(g)
end delete
22begin insert(end insertbegin inserte)end insert A provider of telehealth or teledentistry services shall be
23responsible for all expenses and costs related to the equipment,
24transmission, storage, infrastructure, and other expenses related
25to telehealth and teledentistry.
26(h)
end delete
27begin insert(end insertbegin insertf)end insert For purposes of this
section, the following definitions shall
28apply:
29(1) “Behavioral health treatment” has the same meaning as set
30forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 1374.73 of the
31Health and Safety Code.
32(2) “Department” means the State Department of Developmental
33Services.
34(3) “Teledentistry”begin delete is the use of information technology and begin insert means
telehealth used to deliver dental health
35telecommunications for dental care, consultation, education, and
36public awareness in the same manner as described in paragraph
37(6) of subdivision (a) of Section 2290.5 of the Business and
38Professions Codeend delete
39care services and public dental healthend insert.
P5 1(4) “Telehealth” has the same meaning as set forth in paragraph
2(6) of subdivision (a) of Section 2290.5 of the Business and
3Professions Code.
4(i)
end delete
5begin insert(end insertbegin insertg)end insert This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2019,
6and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
7is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or
extends that date.
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