Amended in Senate June 30, 2016

Amended in Senate June 13, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2568

Introduced by Assembly Member Atkins

February 19, 2016

An act to add Section 18986.89 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to health and human services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2568, as amended, Atkins. Integrated health and human services program.

Existing law authorizes the Counties of Humboldt, Mendocino, and begin delete Alameda, end delete begin insert Alameda end insert to implement a program for the funding and delivery of services and benefits through an integrated and comprehensive county health and human services system, subject to certain limitations.

This bill would authorize the County of San Diego, upon approval of the county board of supervisors, to operate an integrated and comprehensive health and human services begin delete system. end delete begin insert system, as specified. end insert

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

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

SECTION 1.  

Section 18986.89 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:

18986.89.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert Notwithstanding the dates provided in
subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 18986.87, the County of San
Diego may, upon approval of the county board of supervisors,
operate an integrated and comprehensive health and human services
system.

begin insert

(b) In providing services through an integrated system to
families and individuals, the system may, among other things, do
both of the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) Maintain and evaluate a system of administration that
integrates and coordinates the management and support of client
services.

end insert begin insert

(2) Maintain a system of reporting and accountability that
provides for the combined provision of services without the loss
of state or federal funds provided under current law.

end insert begin insert

(c) The integrated and comprehensive county health and human
services system may include, but not be limited to, any or all of
the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) Adoption services.

end insert begin insert

(2) Child abuse prevention services.

end insert begin insert

(3) Child welfare services.

end insert begin insert

(4) Delinquency prevention services.

end insert begin insert

(5) Drug and alcohol services.

end insert begin insert

(6) Mental health services.

end insert begin insert

(7) Eligibility determination.

end insert begin insert

(8) Employment and training services.

end insert begin insert

(9) Foster care services.

end insert begin insert

(10) Health services.

end insert begin insert

(11) Public health services.

end insert begin insert

(12) Housing services.

end insert begin insert

(13) Medically indigent program services.

end insert begin insert

(14) Veteran’s services.

end insert begin insert

(15) Aging services.

end insert begin insert

(16) Any other related program as designated by the board of
supervisors.

end insert begin insert

(d) The county shall comply with all applicable state and federal
privacy laws that govern medical and social service information,
including, but not limited to, the Confidentiality of Medical
Information Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division
1 of the Civil Code), the federal Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Sections 827, 5328, and 10850.

end insert begin insert

(e) Programs or services shall be included in the system only
to the extent that federal funding to either the state or the county
will not be reduced as a result of the inclusion of the services in
the project.

end insert begin insert

(f) This chapter shall not authorize the county to discontinue
meeting its obligations under current law to provide services or
to reduce its accountability for the provision of these services.

end insert begin insert

(g) The county shall utilize any and all state general funds and
county funds that it is legally allocated or entitled to receive.
Through the creation of integrated health and social services
structures, the county shall maximize federal matching funds. This
integration shall not result in increased expenditures from the
General Fund.

end insert begin insert

(h) The appropriate state departments, as designated by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, that are assisting,
participating, and cooperating in the program authorized by this
chapter shall have the authority to waive regulations, with the
concurrence of the county, regarding the method of providing
services and the method of reporting and accountability, as may
be required to meet the goals set forth in subdivision (b). However,
the departments shall not waive regulations pertaining to privacy
and confidentiality of records, civil service merit systems, or
collective bargaining. The departments shall not waive regulations
if the waiver results in a diminished amount or level of services
or benefits to eligible recipients as compared to the benefits and
services that would have been provided to recipients absent the
waiver.

end insert