Amended in Assembly May 4, 2015

Amended in Assembly April 21, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 563

Introduced by Assembly Member Lopez

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Brown and Hadley)

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February 24, 2015

An act to add and repeal Section 4648.7 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to developmental services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 563, as amended, Lopez. Developmental services.

The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities. Under existing law, the regional centers purchase needed services for individuals with developmental disabilities through approved service providers or arrange for those services through other publicly funded agencies. 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.

This bill would require the State Department of Developmental Services and the California Department of Aging to develop best practices for providing begin insert culturally competent end insert services and supports to aging consumers with developmental and intellectual disabilities, as specified. The bill would require the State Department of Developmental Services to conduct a 2-year pilot program that implements those best practices in 3 regional centers that reflect the geographic diversity of California and, after the conclusion of the pilot program, by January 1, 2020, submit a report, as specified, evaluating the pilot program to the Legislature. These provisions would be repealed January 1, 2021.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

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

SECTION 1.  

Section 4648.7 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:

4648.7.  

(a) (1) By January 1, 2017, the department and the
California Department of Aging shall develop best practices for
providing begin insert culturally competent end insert services and supports to aging
consumers with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

(2) The best practices developed pursuant to this subdivision
shall include, but not be limited to, both of the following:

(A) Regional center protocols to enhance communication with,
and improve service delivery to, aging consumers with
developmental and intellectual disabilities.

(B) Identification of services for inclusion in a consumer’s
individual program plan, as appropriate, that can better support
aging consumers with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

(b) The department shall conduct a two-year pilot program that
implements the best practices developed pursuant to subdivision
(a) in three regional centers that reflect the geographic diversity
of California.

(c) (1) After the conclusion of the pilot program, the department
shall submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the pilot program
conducted pursuant to subdivision (b) by January 1, 2020, which
shall include a determination of whether the best practices
implemented in the pilot program should be implemented
statewide.

(2) The report required by this subdivision shall be submitted
in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2021,
and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
is enacted before January 1, 2021, deletes or extends that date.