Amended in Senate May 28, 2013

Amended in Senate April 11, 2013

Amended in Senate March 14, 2013

Senate Bill No. 208

Introduced by Senator Lara

February 8, 2013

An act to add Section 4648.11 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to developmental services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 208, as amended, Lara. Developmental services: request for proposals.

Under existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, the State Department of Developmental Services begin delete is authorized to contract end delete begin insert contracts end insert with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities. The services and supports to be provided to a regional center consumer are contained in an individual program plan (IPP), developed in accordance with prescribed requirements. Existing law authorizes the regional center to, among other things, solicit an individual or agency, by requests for proposals (RFPs) or other means, to provide needed services or supports that are not available to achieve the stated objectives of a consumer’s IPP.

This bill would begin delete establish the Equity and Diversity in Developmental Services Act, and would end delete require a request for proposals that is prepared begin delete by the department or end delete by a regional center begin delete and that relates to end delete begin insert for end insert consumer begin delete programs or end delete services and supports to include a section on issues of equity and diversity, as specified.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete yes end delete begin insert no end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

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

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature hereby finds and declares the
following:

(a) The State Department of Developmental Services and the
regional center system provide treatment, habilitation, and other
services to Californians with developmental disabilities so that
they may lead more independent, productive, and integrated lives.

(b) California, where diverse communities account for about
60 percent of the population, is now a “majority minority” state.

(c) The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act
requires that a person who receives services from a regional center
must have programs, services, and supports that are “person
centered” and that are based on the specific assessment and needs
of each consumer.

(d) Therefore, services provided to regional center consumers
should be provided in a linguistically and culturally competent
manner that promotes equity and diversity for all Californians.

SEC. 2.  

Section 4648.11 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:

begin delete

4648.11.  

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as
the Equity and Diversity in Developmental Services Act.

(b)

end delete

begin insert

begin insert 4648.11. end insert   

end insert

begin insert ( end insert begin insert a) end insert  A request for proposals that is prepared begin delete by the
department or end delete by a regional center begin delete and that relates to end delete begin insert for end insert consumer
begin delete programs or end delete services and supports shall include a section on issues
of equity and diversity.

begin delete

(c)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert b) end insert  The section on equity and diversity shall request, but not be
limited to, all of the following begin insert information end insert :

(1) A statement outlining the applicant’s plan to serve diverse
populations begin insert , including, but not limited to, culturally and
linguistically diverse populations end insert .

(2) Examples of the applicant’s commitment to addressing the
needs of begin insert those end insert diverse populations.

(3) Any additional information that the applicant deems relevant
to issues of equity and begin delete diversity, including hiring bilingual staff,
location of the program site, outreach strategies for underserved
communities, and training and other materials in various languages
and that are provided in a manner that is linguistically and
culturally competent end delete begin insert diversity end insert .

begin delete

(4) Nothing in this

end delete

begin insert (c) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert This end insert section shall begin insert not end insert alter contracts entered into begin delete on or end delete before
January 1, 2014.