CHAPTER _______

An act to amend Sections 1917.1, 2028.5, and 12104 of the Business and Professions Code, to amend Section 1727 of the Fish and Game Code, to amend Sections 19849.11 and 22959.6 of the Government Code, to amend Section 25722.8 of the Public Resources Code, to amend Section 8352.4 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and to amend Sections 4024, 11462, and 14701 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to state government.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1420, Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review. State government: state agencies: reports.

Existing law requires various state agencies to submit certain reports, plans, evaluations, and other similar documents to the Legislature and other state agencies.

This bill would eliminate provisions that require certain state agencies to submit certain reports to the Legislature and other state agencies. The bill would also modify requirements of certain reports by requiring, among other things, that reports be placed on the Internet Web site of the reporting agency rather than to be submitted to the Legislature or other state agencies, or requiring certain state agencies to collaborate with other state agencies in preparing those reports. The bill would also modify cross-references.

This bill would make various conforming changes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 1917.1 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

1917.1.  

(a) The committee may grant a license as a registered dental hygienist to an applicant who has not taken a clinical examination before the committee, if the applicant submits all of the following to the committee:

(1) A completed application form and all fees required by the committee.

(2) Proof of a current license as a registered dental hygienist issued by another state that is not revoked, suspended, or otherwise restricted.

(3) Proof that the applicant has been in clinical practice as a registered dental hygienist or has been a full-time faculty member in an accredited dental hygiene education program for a minimum of 750 hours per year for at least five years immediately preceding the date of his or her application under this section. The clinical practice requirement shall be deemed met if the applicant provides proof of at least three years of clinical practice and commits to completing the remaining two years of clinical practice by filing with the committee a copy of a pending contract to practice dental hygiene in any of the following facilities:

(A) A primary care clinic licensed under subdivision (a) of Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code.

(B) A primary care clinic exempt from licensure pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code.

(C) A clinic owned or operated by a public hospital or health system.

(D) A clinic owned and operated by a hospital that maintains the primary contract with a county government to fill the county’s role under Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(4) Satisfactory performance on a California law and ethics examination and any examination that may be required by the committee.

(5) Proof that the applicant has not been subject to disciplinary action by any state in which he or she, is or has been previously, issued any professional or vocational license. If the applicant has been subject to disciplinary action, the committee shall review that action to determine if it warrants refusal to issue a license to the applicant.

(6) Proof of graduation from a school of dental hygiene accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

(7) Proof of satisfactory completion of the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination and of a state clinical examination, regional clinical licensure examination, or any other clinical dental hygiene examination approved by the committee.

(8) Proof that the applicant has not failed the state clinical examination, the examination given by the Western Regional Examining Board, or any other clinical dental hygiene examination approved by the committee for licensure to practice dental hygiene under this chapter more than once or once within five years prior to the date of his or her application for a license under this section.

(9) Documentation of completion of a minimum of 25 units of continuing education earned in the two years preceding application, including completion of any continuing education requirements imposed by the committee on registered dental hygienists licensed in this state at the time of application.

(10) Any other information as specified by the committee to the extent that it is required of applicants for licensure by examination under this article.

(b) The committee may periodically request verification of compliance with the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), and may revoke the license upon a finding that the employment requirement or any other requirement of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) has not been met.

(c) The committee shall provide in the application packet to each out-of-state dental hygienist pursuant to this section the following information:

(1) The location of dental manpower shortage areas in the state.

(2) Any not-for-profit clinics, public hospitals, and accredited dental hygiene education programs seeking to contract with licensees for dental hygiene service delivery or training purposes.

SEC. 2.  

Section 2028.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2028.5.  

(a) The board may establish a pilot program to expand the practice of telehealth in this state.

(b) To implement this pilot program, the board may convene a working group of interested parties from the public and private sectors, including, but not limited to, state health-related agencies, health care providers, health plan administrators, information technology groups, and groups representing health care consumers.

(c) The purpose of the pilot program shall be to develop methods, using a telehealth model, to deliver throughout the state health care to persons with chronic diseases as well as information on the best practices for chronic disease management services and techniques and other health care information as deemed appropriate.

SEC. 3.  

Section 12104 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

12104.  

(a) The department shall issue instructions and make recommendations to the county sealers, and the instructions and recommendations shall govern the procedure to be followed by these officers in the discharge of their duties.

(b) Instructions and recommendations that are made to ensure statewide weights and measures protection shall include a local administration cost analysis utilizing data provided by the county sealer. The cost analysis shall identify the joint programs or activities for which funds necessary to maintain adequate county administration and enforcement have not been provided. The secretary shall develop, jointly with the county sealers, county priorities for the enforcement programs and activities of the secretary.

SEC. 4.  

Section 1727 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read:

1727.  

(a) In order to provide for a diversity of available angling experiences throughout the state, it is the intent of the Legislature that the commission maintain the existing wild trout program, and as part of the program, develop additional wild trout waters in the more than 20,000 miles of trout streams and approximately 5,000 lakes containing trout in California.

(b) The department shall prepare a list of no less than 25 miles of stream or stream segments and at least one lake that it deems suitable for designation as wild trout waters. The department shall submit this list to the commission for its consideration at the regular October commission meeting.

(c) The commission may remove any stream or lake that it has designated as a wild trout fishery from the program at any time. If any of those waters are removed from the program, an equivalent amount of stream mileage or an equivalent size lake shall be added to the wild trout program.

(d) The department shall prepare and complete management plans for all wild trout waters not more than three years following their initial designation by the commission and update the management plan every five years following completion of the initial management plan.

SEC. 5.  

Section 19849.11 of the Government Code is amended to read:

19849.11.  

The Department of Human Resources, subject to any condition that it may establish, subject to existing statutes governing health benefits and group term life insurance offered through the Public Employees’ Retirement System, and subject to all other applicable provisions of state law, may enter into contracts for the purchase of employee benefits with respect to managerial and confidential employees as defined by subdivisions (e) and (f) of Section 3513, and employees excluded from the definition of state employee in subdivision (c) of Section 3513, and officers or employees of the executive branch of government who are not members of the civil service, and supervisory employees as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 3513. Benefits shall include, but not be limited to, group life insurance, group disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, group automobile liability and physical damage insurance, and homeowners’ and renters’ insurance.

The department may self-insure the long-term disability insurance program if it is cost effective to do so.

SEC. 6.  

Section 22959.6 of the Government Code is amended to read:

22959.6.  

(a) The Department of Human Resources may contract with one or more vision care plans for annuitants and eligible family members, provided the carrier or carriers have operated successfully in the area of vision care benefits for a reasonable period, as determined by the Department of Human Resources.

(b) The Department of Human Resources, as the program administrator, has full administrative authority over this program and associated funds and shall require the monthly premium to be paid by the annuitant for the vision care plan. The premium to be paid by the annuitant shall be deducted from his or her monthly allowance. If there are insufficient funds in an annuitant’s allowance to pay the premium, the plan provider shall directly bill the annuitant. A vision care plan or plans provided under this authority shall be funded by the annuitant’s premium. All premiums received from annuitants shall be deposited in the Vision Care Program for State Annuitants Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. Any income earned on the moneys in the Vision Care Program for State Annuitants Fund shall be credited to the fund. Notwithstanding Section 13340, moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated for the purposes specified in subdivision (d).

(c) An annuitant may enroll in a vision care plan provided by a carrier that also provides a health benefit plan pursuant to Section 22850 if the employee or annuitant is also enrolled in the health benefit plan provided by that carrier. However, this section may not be construed to require an annuitant to enroll in a vision care plan and a health benefit plan provided by the same carrier. An annuitant enrolled in this program shall only enroll into a vision plan or vision plans contracted for by the Department of Human Resources.

(d) A contract for a vision care plan may not be entered into unless the Department of Human Resources determines it is reasonable to do so. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any premium moneys paid into this program by annuitants for the purposes of the annuitant vision care plan that is contracted for shall be used for the cost of providing vision care benefits to eligible, enrolled annuitants and their eligible and enrolled dependents, the payment of claims for those vision benefits, and the cost of administration of the vision care plan or plans under this vision care program, those costs being determined by the Department of Human Resources.

(e) If the Director of Human Resources determines that it is not economically feasible to continue this program anytime after its commencement, the director may, upon written notice to enrollees and to the contracting plan or plans, terminate this program within a reasonable time. The notice of termination to the plan or plans shall be determined by the Department of Human Resources. The notice to enrollees of the termination of the program shall commence no later than three months prior to the actual date of termination of the program.

(f) Premium rates for this program shall be determined by the Department of Human Resources in conjunction with the contracted plan or plans and shall be considered separate and apart from active employee premium rates.

SEC. 7.  

Section 25722.8 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

25722.8.  

(a) On or before July 1, 2009, the Secretary of State and Consumer Services, in consultation with the Department of General Services and other appropriate state agencies that maintain or purchase vehicles for the state fleet, including the campuses of the California State University, shall develop and implement, and submit to the Legislature and the Governor, a plan to improve the overall state fleet’s use of alternative fuels, synthetic lubricants, and fuel-efficient vehicles by reducing or displacing the consumption of petroleum products by the state fleet when compared to the 2003 consumption level based on the following schedule:

(1) By January 1, 2012, a 10-percent reduction or displacement.

(2) By January 1, 2020, a 20-percent reduction or displacement.

(b)  Beginning April 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, the Department of General Services shall prepare a progress report on meeting the goals specified in subdivision (a). The Department of General Services shall post the progress report on its Internet Web site.

(c) (1) The Department of General Services shall encourage, to the extent feasible, the operation of state alternatively fueled vehicles on the alternative fuel for which the vehicle is designed and the development of commercial infrastructure for alternative fuel pumps and charging stations at or near state vehicle fueling or parking sites.

(2) The Department of General Services shall work with other public agencies to incentivize and promote, to the extent feasible, state employee operation of alternatively fueled vehicles through preferential or reduced-cost parking, access to charging, or other means.

(3) For purposes of this subdivision, “alternatively fueled vehicles” means light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles that reduce petroleum usage and related emissions by using advanced technologies and fuels, including, but not limited to, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric, natural gas, or fuel cell vehicles and including those vehicles described in Section 5205.5 of the Vehicle Code.

SEC. 8.  

Section 8352.4 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

8352.4.  

(a) Subject to Sections 8352 and 8352.1, and except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), there shall be transferred from the money deposited to the credit of the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account to the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund, for expenditure in accordance with Division 1 (commencing with Section 30) of the Harbors and Navigation Code, the sum of six million six hundred thousand dollars ($6,600,000) per annum, representing the amount of money in the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account attributable to taxes imposed on distributions of motor vehicle fuel used or usable in propelling vessels. The actual amount shall be calculated using the annual reports of registered boats prepared by the Department of Motor Vehicles for the United States Coast Guard and the formula and method of the December 1972 report prepared for this purpose and submitted to the Legislature on December 26, 1972, by the Director of Transportation. If the amount transferred during each fiscal year is in excess of the calculated amount, the excess shall be retransferred from the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund to the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account. If the amount transferred is less than the amount calculated, the difference shall be transferred from the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account to the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund. No adjustment shall be made if the computed difference is less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), and the amount shall be adjusted to reflect any temporary or permanent increase or decrease that may be made in the rate under the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Law. Payments pursuant to this section shall be made prior to payments pursuant to Section 8352.2.

(b) Commencing July 1, 2012, the revenues attributable to the taxes imposed pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 7360 and Section 7361.1 and otherwise to be deposited in the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund pursuant to subdivision (a) shall instead be transferred to the General Fund. The revenues attributable to the taxes imposed pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 7360 and Section 7361.1 that were deposited in the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 fiscal years shall be transferred to the General Fund.

SEC. 9.  

Section 4024 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

4024.  

The State Department of State Hospitals proposed allocations for level-of-care staffing in state hospitals that serve persons with mental disabilities shall be submitted to the Department of Finance for review and approval in July and again on a quarterly basis. Each quarterly report shall include an analysis of client characteristics of admissions and discharges in addition to information on any changes in characteristics of current residents.

The State Department of State Hospitals shall submit by January 1 and May 1 to the Department of Finance for its approval: (a) all assumptions underlying estimates of state hospital mentally disabled population; and (b) a comparison of the actual and estimated population levels for the year to date. If the actual population differs from the estimated population by 50 or more, the department shall include in its reports an analysis of the causes of the change and the fiscal impact. The Department of Finance shall approve or modify the assumptions underlying all population estimates within 15 working days of their submission. If the Department of Finance does not approve or modify the assumptions by that date, the assumptions, as presented by the submitting department, shall be deemed to be accepted by the Department of Finance as of that date.

SEC. 10.  

Section 11462 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

11462.  

(a) (1) Effective July 1, 1990, foster care providers licensed as group homes, as defined in departmental regulations, including public child care institutions, as defined in Section 11402.5, shall have rates established by classifying each group home program and applying the standardized schedule of rates. The department shall collect information from group providers beginning January 1, 1990, in order to classify each group home program.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), foster care providers licensed as group homes shall have rates established only if the group home is organized and operated on a nonprofit basis as required under subdivision (h) of Section 11400. The department shall terminate the rate effective January 1, 1993, of any group home not organized and operated on a nonprofit basis as required under subdivision (h) of Section 11400.

(3) (A) The department shall determine, consistent with the requirements of this chapter and other relevant requirements under law, the rate classification level (RCL) for each group home program on a biennial basis. Submission of the biennial rate application shall be made according to a schedule determined by the department.

(B) The department shall adopt regulations to implement this paragraph. The adoption, amendment, repeal, or readoption of a regulation authorized by this paragraph is deemed to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare, for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted from the requirement to describe specific facts showing the need for immediate action.

(b) A group home program shall be initially classified, for purposes of emergency regulations, according to the level of care and services to be provided using a point system developed by the department and described in the report, “The Classification of Group Home Programs under the Standardized Schedule of Rates System,” prepared by the State Department of Social Services, August 30, 1989.

(c) The rate for each RCL has been determined by the department with data from the AFDC-FC Group Home Rate Classification Pilot Study. The rates effective July 1, 1990, were developed using 1985 calendar year costs and reflect adjustments to the costs for each fiscal year, starting with the 1986-87 fiscal year, by the amount of the California Necessities Index computed pursuant to the methodology described in Section 11453. The data obtained by the department using 1985 calendar year costs shall be updated and revised by January 1, 1993.

(d) As used in this section, “standardized schedule of rates” means a listing of the 14 rate classification levels, and the single rate established for each RCL.

(e) Except as specified in paragraph (1), the department shall determine the RCL for each group home program on a prospective basis, according to the level of care and services that the group home operator projects will be provided during the period of time for which the rate is being established.

(1) (A) (i) For new and existing providers requesting the establishment of an RCL, and for existing group home programs requesting an RCL increase, the department shall determine the RCL no later than 13 months after the effective date of the provisional rate. The determination of the RCL shall be based on a program audit of documentation and other information that verifies the level of care and supervision provided by the group home program during a period of the two full calendar months or 60 consecutive days, whichever is longer, preceding the date of the program audit, unless the group home program requests a lower RCL. The program audit shall not cover the first six months of operation under the provisional rate.

(ii) For audit purposes, if the group home program serves a mixture of AFDC-FC eligible and ineligible children, the weighted hours for child care and social work services provided and the capacity of the group home shall be adjusted by the ratio of AFDC-FC eligible children to all children in placement.

(iii) Pending the department’s issuance of the program audit report that determines the RCL for the group home program, the group home program shall be eligible to receive a provisional rate that shall be based on the level of care and service that the group home program proposes it will provide. The group home program shall be eligible to receive only the RCL determined by the department during the pendency of any appeal of the department’s RCL determination.

(B) A group home program may apply for an increase in its RCL no earlier than two years from the date the department has determined the group home program’s rate, unless the host county, the primary placing county, or a regional consortium of counties submits to the department in writing that the program is needed in that county, that the provider is capable of effectively and efficiently operating the proposed program, and that the provider is willing and able to accept AFDC-FC children for placement who are determined by the placing agency to need the level of care and services that will be provided by the program.

(C) To ensure efficient administration of the department’s audit responsibilities, and to avoid the fraudulent creation of records, group home programs shall make records that are relevant to the RCL determination available to the department in a timely manner. Except as provided in this section, the department may refuse to consider, for purposes of determining the rate, any documents that are relevant to the determination of the RCL that are not made available by the group home provider by the date the group home provider requests a hearing on the department’s RCL determination. The department may refuse to consider, for purposes of determining the rate, the following records, unless the group home provider makes the records available to the department during the fieldwork portion of the department’s program audit:

(i) Records of each employee’s full name, home address, occupation, and social security number.

(ii) Time records showing when the employee begins and ends each work period, meal periods, split shift intervals, and total daily hours worked.

(iii) Total wages paid each payroll period.

(iv) Records required to be maintained by licensed group home providers under Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations that are relevant to the RCL determination.

(D) To minimize financial abuse in the startup of group home programs, when the department’s RCL determination is more than three levels lower than the RCL level proposed by the group home provider, and the group home provider does not appeal the department’s RCL determination, the department shall terminate the rate of a group home program 45 days after issuance of its program audit report. When the group home provider requests a hearing on the department’s RCL determination, and the RCL determined by the director under subparagraph (E) is more than three levels lower than the RCL level proposed by the group home provider, the department shall terminate the rate of a group home program within 30 days of issuance of the director’s decision. Notwithstanding the reapplication provisions in subparagraph (B), the department shall deny any request for a new or increased RCL from a group home provider whose RCL is terminated pursuant to this subparagraph, for a period of no greater than two years from the effective date of the RCL termination.

(E) A group home provider may request a hearing of the department’s RCL determination under subparagraph (A) no later than 30 days after the date the department issues its RCL determination. The department’s RCL determination shall be final if the group home provider does not request a hearing within the prescribed time. Within 60 days of receipt of the request for hearing, the department shall conduct a hearing on the RCL determination. The standard of proof shall be the preponderance of the evidence and the burden of proof shall be on the department. The hearing officer shall issue the proposed decision within 45 days of the close of the evidentiary record. The director shall adopt, reject, or modify the proposed decision, or refer the matter back to the hearing officer for additional evidence or findings within 100 days of issuance of the proposed decision. If the director takes no action on the proposed decision within the prescribed time, the proposed decision shall take effect by operation of law.

(2) Group home programs that fail to maintain at least the level of care and services associated with the RCL upon which their rate was established shall inform the department. The department shall develop regulations specifying procedures to be applied when a group home fails to maintain the level of services projected, including, but not limited to, rate reduction and recovery of overpayments.

(3) The department shall not reduce the rate, establish an overpayment, or take other actions pursuant to paragraph (2) for any period that a group home program maintains the level of care and services associated with the RCL for children actually residing in the facility. Determinations of levels of care and services shall be made in the same way as modifications of overpayments are made pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 11466.2.

(4) A group home program that substantially changes its staffing pattern from that reported in the group home program statement shall provide notification of this change to all counties that have placed children currently in care. This notification shall be provided whether or not the RCL for the program may change as a result of the change in staffing pattern.

(f) (1) The standardized schedule of rates for the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 fiscal years is:

 

  

FY 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08

Rate Classification Level

   Point ranges

Standard Rate

1

 Under 60 

$1,454

2

 60-89  

 1,835

3

90-119 

 2,210

4

120-149 

 2,589

5

150-179 

 2,966

6

180-209 

 3,344

7

210-239 

 3,723

8

240-269 

 4,102

9

270-299 

 4,479

10 

300-329 

 4,858

11 

330-359 

 5,234

12 

360-389 

 5,613

13 

390-419 

 5,994

14 

420 & Up 

 6,371

 

(2) (A) For group home programs that receive AFDC-FC payments for services performed during the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10 fiscal years, the adjusted RCL point ranges below shall be used for establishing the biennial rates for existing programs, pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) and in performing program audits and in determining any resulting rate reduction, overpayment assessment, or other actions pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (e):

 

 

Adjusted Point Ranges

for the 2002-03, 2003-04,

Rate Classification Level

2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10 Fiscal Years

1

Under 54 

2

54-81

3

 82-110

4

111-138

5

139-167

6

168-195

7

196-224

8

225-253

9

254-281

10

282-310

11

311-338

12

339-367

13

368-395

14

 396 & Up

 

(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), foster care providers operating group homes during the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10 fiscal years shall remain responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the children placed in their programs in accordance with existing applicable provisions of the Health and Safety Code and community care licensing regulations, as contained in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

(C) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to program audits of group home programs with provisional rates established pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e). For those program audits, the RCL point ranges in paragraph (1) shall be used.

(D) Rates applicable for the 2009-10 fiscal year pursuant to the act that adds this subparagraph shall be effective October 1, 2009.

(3) (A) For group home programs that receive AFDC-FC payments for services performed during the 2009-10 fiscal year the adjusted RCL point ranges below shall be used for establishing the biennial rates for existing programs, pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) and in performing program audits and in determining any resulting rate reduction, overpayment assessment, or other actions pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (e):

 

Rate

Adjusted Point Ranges

Classification

for the 2009-10

Level

Fiscal Years

1

Under 39 

2

 39-64

3

 65-90

4

  91-115

5

116-141

6

142-167

7

168-192

8

193-218

9

219-244

10

245-270

11

271-295

12

296-321

13

322-347

14

 348 & Up

 

(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), foster care providers operating group homes during the 2009-10 fiscal year shall remain responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the children placed in their programs in accordance with existing applicable provisions of the Health and Safety Code and community care licensing regulations as contained in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

(C) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to program audits of group home programs with provisional rates established pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e). For those program audits, the RCL point ranges in paragraph (1) shall be used.

(g) (1) (A) For the 1999-2000 fiscal year, the standardized rate for each RCL shall be adjusted by an amount equal to the California Necessities Index computed pursuant to the methodology described in Section 11453. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates, subject to further adjustment pursuant to subparagraph (B).

(B) In addition to the adjustment in subparagraph (A), commencing January 1, 2000, the standardized rate for each RCL shall be increased by 2.36 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates.

(2) Beginning with the 2000-01 fiscal year, the standardized schedule of rates shall be adjusted annually by an amount equal to the CNI computed pursuant to Section 11453, subject to the availability of funds. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates.

(3) Effective January 1, 2001, the amount included in the standard rate for each Rate Classification Level (RCL) for the salaries, wages, and benefits for staff providing child care and supervision or performing social work activities, or both, shall be increased by 10 percent. This additional funding shall be used by group home programs solely to supplement staffing, salaries, wages, and benefit levels of staff specified in this paragraph. The standard rate for each RCL shall be recomputed using this adjusted amount and the resultant rates shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates. The department may require a group home receiving this additional funding to certify that the funding was utilized in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(4) Effective January 1, 2008, the amount included in the standard rate for each RCL for the wages for staff providing child care and supervision or performing social work activities, or both, shall be increased by 5 percent, and the amount included for the payroll taxes and other employer-paid benefits for these staff shall be increased from 20.325 percent to 24 percent. The standard rate for each RCL shall be recomputed using these adjusted amounts, and the resulting rates shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates.

(5) The new standardized schedule of rates as provided for in paragraph (4) shall be reduced by 10 percent, effective October 1, 2009, and the resulting rates shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates.

(6) The rates of licensed group home providers, whose rates are not established under the standardized schedule of rates, shall be reduced by 10 percent, effective October 1, 2009.

(h) The standardized schedule of rates pursuant to subdivisions (f) and (g) shall be implemented as follows:

(1) Any group home program that received an AFDC-FC rate in the prior fiscal year at or above the standard rate for the RCL in the current fiscal year shall continue to receive that rate.

(2) Any group home program that received an AFDC-FC rate in the prior fiscal year below the standard rate for the RCL in the current fiscal year shall receive the RCL rate for the current year.

(i) (1) The department shall not establish a rate for a new program of a new or existing provider, or for an existing program at a new location of an existing provider, unless the provider submits a letter of recommendation from the host county, the primary placing county, or a regional consortium of counties that includes all of the following:

(A) That the program is needed by that county.

(B) That the provider is capable of effectively and efficiently operating the program.

(C) That the provider is willing and able to accept AFDC-FC children for placement who are determined by the placing agency to need the level of care and services that will be provided by the program.

(D) That, if the letter of recommendation is not being issued by the host county, the primary placing county has notified the host county of its intention to issue the letter and the host county was given the opportunity of 30 days to respond to this notification and to discuss options with the primary placing county.

(2) The department shall encourage the establishment of consortia of county placing agencies on a regional basis for the purpose of making decisions and recommendations about the need for, and use of, group home programs and other foster care providers within the regions.

(3) The department shall annually conduct a county-by-county survey to determine the unmet placement needs of children placed pursuant to Section 300 and Section 601 or 602, and shall publish its findings by November 1 of each year.

(j) The department shall develop regulations specifying ratesetting procedures for program expansions, reductions, or modifications, including increases or decreases in licensed capacity, or increases or decreases in level of care or services.

(k) For the purpose of this subdivision, “program change” means any alteration to an existing group home program planned by a provider that will increase the RCL or AFDC-FC rate. An increase in the licensed capacity or other alteration to an existing group home program that does not increase the RCL or AFDC-FC rate shall not constitute a program change.

(l) General unrestricted or undesignated private charitable donations and contributions made to charitable or nonprofit organizations shall not be deducted from the cost of providing services pursuant to this section. The donations and contributions shall not be considered in any determination of maximum expenditures made by the department.

SEC. 11.  

Section 14701 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

14701.  

(a) The State Department of Health Care Services, in collaboration with the State Department of Mental Health and the California Health and Human Services Agency, shall create a state administrative and programmatic transition plan, either as one comprehensive transition plan or separately, to guide the transfer of the Medi-Cal specialty mental health managed care and the EPSDT Program to the State Department of Health Care Services effective July 1, 2012.

(b) (1) Commencing no later than July 15, 2011, the State Department of Health Care Services, together with the State Department of Mental Health, shall convene a series of stakeholder meetings and forums to receive input from clients, family members, providers, counties, and representatives of the Legislature concerning the transition and transfer of Medi-Cal specialty mental health managed care and the EPSDT Program. This consultation shall inform the creation of a state administrative transition plan and a programmatic transition plan that shall include, but is not limited to, the following components:

(A) The plan shall ensure that it is developed in a way that continues access and quality of service during and immediately after the transition, preventing any disruption of services to clients and family members, providers and counties, and others affected by this transition.

(B) A detailed description of the state administrative functions currently performed by the State Department of Mental Health regarding Medi-Cal specialty mental health managed care and the EPSDT Program.

(C) Explanations of the operational steps, timelines, and key milestones for determining when and how each function or program will be transferred. These explanations shall also be developed for the transition of positions and staff serving Medi-Cal specialty mental health managed care and the EPSDT Program, and how these will relate to, and align with, positions at the State Department of Health Care Services. The State Department of Health Care Services and the California Health and Human Services Agency shall consult with the Department of Personnel Administration in developing this aspect of the transition plan.

(D) A list of any planned or proposed changes or efficiencies in how the functions will be performed, including the anticipated fiscal and programmatic impacts of the changes.

(E) A detailed organization chart that reflects the planned staffing at the State Department of Health Care Services in light of the requirements of subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, and includes focused, high-level leadership for behavioral health issues.

(F) A description of how stakeholders were included in the various phases of the planning process to formulate the transition plans and a description of how their feedback will be taken into consideration after transition activities are underway.

(2) The State Department of Health Care Services, together with the State Department of Mental Health and the California Health and Human Services Agency, shall convene and consult with stakeholders at least twice following production of a draft of the transition plans and before submission of transition plans to the Legislature. Continued consultation with stakeholders shall occur in accordance with the requirement in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1).

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