Amended in Senate April 21, 2015

Senate Bill No. 571

Introduced by Senator Liu

(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Brown)

February 26, 2015

An act to amend Sections 9251 and 9254 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to long-term care.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 571, as amended, Liu. Long-term care: CalCareNet.

Existing law requires the California Health and Human Services Agency, by January 1, 2005, and with recommendations from the Long-Term Care Council, to set standards for CalCareNet, which is a statewide Internet-based application, with the goal of creating an Internet Web site that links counties and planning service areas, and provides information on the long-term care services available to the consumer. begin delete This bill would provide end delete begin insert Existing law provides end insert that state funds shall not be appropriated for this purpose, and that the agency is not required to undertake these tasks unless it receives federal or private funds.

This bill would require the agency to update the standards for begin insert a end insert CalCareNet begin insert Internet Web site end insert and create begin delete an end delete begin insert a CalCareNet end insert Internet Web site that, in addition to the provisions above, provides information to consumers, caregivers, and health and social service providers on how to effectively navigate long-term care services and that assists consumers, caregivers, and health and social service providers in making informed decisions relating to long-term care services. begin insert The bill would delete the requirement that the agency take these actions with the recommendations from the Long-Term Care Council. end insert The bill would require the begin insert CalCareNet end insert Internet Web site to satisfy specified requirements, including that the Internet Web site be accessible by persons with disabilities, culturally sensitive, and accessible in multiple languages. The bill would require the agency, in connection with developing and expanding the CalCareNet Internet Web site, to, among other things, examine alternative funding sources and mechanisms to sustain and expand portal capacity over time. The bill would delete the prohibition on appropriating state funds for the purposes of these begin delete provisions. end delete begin insert provisions, and instead require the agency, in order to develop and launch the CalCareNet Internet Web site in the most cost-effective and efficient manner, to take specified actions, including, among others, to consider the approach and execution of existing state and regional Internet Web sites with similar objectives. The bill would require the agency to develop a system that enables counties and planning service areas to contract with the agency, for a reasonable fee, for Internet Web site development and maintenance services. end insert

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.  

It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
act that CalCareNet enable and facilitate all of the following:

(a) Individuals and families to remain independent through
consumer-directed decisionmaking, planning, and support.

(b) Individuals to receive support in the least restrictive
environment.

(c) Consumers and caregivers to connect with the appropriate
services necessary to meet individual needs.

(d) Coordination and delivery of long-term begin insert care end insert services and
supports to be improved by leveraging resources already in place.

(e) Long-term support services to be delivered in a more
cost-effective manner.

SEC. 2.  

Section 9251 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:

9251.  

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions
apply:

(a) The term “long-term care” refers to a wide range of
supportive and health and social services for older adults and adults
with disabilities. Long-term care differs from other types of care
in that the goal of long-term care is not to cure illnesses, but to
allow individuals to attain and maintain optimal levels of
functioning in their homes or in their communities. The provision
of long-term services involves a continuum of health and social
services in a variety of home- and community-based settings.

(b) The term “care navigation” describes any of the following
services, performed in multiple settings, including, but not limited
to, area agencies on aging, hospitals, caregiver resource centers,
independent living centers, and senior centers:

(1) Consumer information delivered over the Internet, by
telephone, including a statewide information hotline, or in person.

(2) Referral to programs or services delivered over the Internet,
by telephone, including a statewide information telephone hotline,
or in person.

(3) Short-term assistance for the consumer or caregiver, provided
by persons qualified to work with the consumer to define needs,
to refer the consumer to services that are free of charge or that may
be purchased by the consumer, and to develop a plan of coordinated
care.

(4) Recognition of the need for ongoing assistance, with the
ability to link consumers to ongoing assistance, care coordination,
services coordination, or case management.

(c) (1) The term “care navigator” describes an individual who
provides care navigation to older persons or persons with
disabilities in need of long-term care services, or to caregivers.
Care navigators consider an individual’s medical and functional
needs, financial resources, and social support, in order to partner
with the individual and, together, determine which services offered
in the community are most appropriate for the consumer. The
intervention with the consumer may be limited, depending on the
consumer’s needs.

(2) Care navigation may be performed within existing programs
and at multiple points of entry, including, but not limited to, area
agencies on aging, independent living centers, county welfare
departments, hospitals, caregiver resource centers, and senior
centers.

(d) The term “CalCareNet” describes the Internet Web site
developed pursuant to Section 9254.

SEC. 3.  

Section 9254 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:

9254.  

(a) The begin delete agency, with recommendations from the
Long-Term Care Council, end delete begin insert agency end insert shall update the standards for
begin delete CalCareNet, end delete begin insert a CalCareNet Internet Web site end insert and create begin delete an end delete begin insert a
CalCareNet end insert Internet Web site that links to counties and planning
service areas, that provides information on long-term care services
that are available to consumers, that provides information to
consumers, caregivers, and health and social service providers on
how to effectively navigate long-term care services, and that assists
consumers, caregivers, and health and social service providers in
making informed decisions relating to long-term care services.
The agency shall recommend guidelines for local Internet
information systems, allowing for flexibility in design and
structure. The local entities with existing systems are encouraged
to maintain existing systems, assuming CalCareNet guidelines are
met.

begin insert

(b) To develop and launch the CalCareNet Internet Web site as
required by subdivision (a) in the most cost-effective manner, the
agency shall do all of the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) Consider the Internet Web sites produced and research
conducted in all prior efforts to develop a statewide aging and
people with disabilities, long-term care services and supports
Internet Web site.

end insert begin insert

(2) Consider the approach and execution of existing state and
regional Internet Web sites with similar objectives.

end insert begin insert

(3) Explore the benefits of combining the Internet Web site with
other state services and supports Internet Web sites, including,
but not limited to, those relating to veterans and mental health.

end insert begin insert

(4) Analyze the cost-benefits of the agency developing and
maintaining the Internet Web site or contracting with an outside
company to develop and maintain the Internet Web site.

end insert begin delete

(b)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert c) end insert  Information shared between, and tracked by, providers
through begin insert the end insert CalCareNet begin insert Internet Web site end insert may in no way violate
Section 15633, pertaining to client confidentiality, or any other
statute requiring that client information be kept confidential, unless
otherwise exempted by law.

begin delete

(c)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert d) end insert  In crafting its guidelines for the local-level information
systems, the Long-Term Care Council shall seek input from
interested stakeholders, including, but not limited to, all of the
following:

(1) Consumers.

(2) Consumer advocacy organizations.

(3) California Foundation for Independent Living Centers.

(4) Area agencies on aging.

(5) California Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

(6) Senior legal services.

(7) The California Commission on Aging.

(8) Caregiver resource centers.

(9) Veterans’ services.

(10) Senior centers.

(11) PACE (Program begin delete for All Inclusive end delete begin insert of All-Inclusive end insert Care for
the Elderly).

(12) The Senior Care Action Network (SCAN).

(13) The Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP)
services.

(14) Ombudspersons.

(15) County-level programs, including, but not limited to,
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), county welfare departments,
county mental health departments, county social services
departments, public health departments, and adult protective
services agencies.

(16) City-level programs, including, but not limited to, public
health, human services, and community development departments.

(17) Programs for persons with disabilities, including, but not
limited to, independent living centers.

(18) Other social services programs, including, but not limited
to, employment development programs.

begin delete

(d)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert e) end insert  The CalCareNet Internet Web site shall satisfy all of the
following requirements:

(1) The Internet Web site shall provide information to consumers
and caregivers about all of the following:

(A) State programs for services and supports for aging and
disabled adults.

(B) Eligibility and enrollment options for accessing federal and
state aging and long-term care programs.

(C) Nongovernmental programs and resources for services and
support of aging and disabled adults.

(D) State, federal, and nongovernmental services and supports
for caregivers.

(E) Preventative care, wellness, advanced planning, and legal
processes and rights.

(2) The Internet Web site shall be accessible by persons with
disabilities, culturally sensitive, and accessible in multiple
languages.

(3) The Internet Web site shall include all of the following
features:

(A) A modular and scalable system that easily permits transition
from a pilot project to statewide implementation and integration
of future modifications.

(B) Different site pathways and diverse visual and learning aid
tools, including, but not limited to, flowcharts, graphics, a site
map, and multimedia tutorials, that are based on the visitor type.

(C) Site standards for information accuracy and quality
assurance.

(D) Rational taxonomy rules, based on best practices, that allow
for comprehensive and successful site searches.

begin delete

(e)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert f) end insert  In connection with developing and expanding the CalCareNet
Internet Web site, the agency shall do all of the following:

(1) Secure cooperation from information providers, other system
administrators, marketing partners, and service providers statewide.

(2) Examine alternative funding sources and mechanisms to
sustain and expand portal capacity over time.

(3) Explore the feasibility of connecting the Internet Web site
to the California Health Benefit Exchange.

begin delete

(f)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert g) end insert  The agency shall link the CalCareNet Internet Web site to
local Internet information systems. The agency shall permit
counties and planning service areas to design local information
systems, contingent upon the availability of funding and resources
for these purposes.

begin insert

(h) The agency shall develop a system that enables counties and
planning service areas to contract with the agency, for a
reasonable fee, for Internet Web site development and maintenance
services.

end insert