BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
SB 982 (McGuire) - State Department of Developmental Services:
developmental centers
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|Version: April 14, 2016 |Policy Vote: HUMAN S. 4 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: May 2, 2016 |Consultant: Brendan McCarthy |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: SB 982 would require the Department of Developmental
Services to contract with an independent agency for a
longitudinal study of developmental center residents who
relocate to the community as a result of developmental center
closures.
Fiscal
Impact: Ongoing costs, likely between $500,000 and $1 million
per year, for an independent contractor to undertake the
required study (General Fund and federal funds). Under the bill,
the contractor would be required to conduct interviews with
former developmental center residents and family members and
review information held by the Department to assess former
resident satisfaction and quality of life. In addition to the
requirement for in-person interviews, the contractor will also
need to review data from the Department and regional centers,
analyze the collected data, and report to the Department.
SB 982 (McGuire) Page 1 of
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Background: California provides community-based services to approximately
250,000 persons with developmental disabilities and their
families through a statewide system of 21 regional centers.
Regional centers diagnostic and assessment services to determine
eligibility, convene planning teams to develop an Individual
Program Plan for each eligible consumer, and either provide or
obtain from generic agencies appropriate services for each
consumer in accordance with the Individual Program Plan.
In addition, the state operates developmental centers for
developmentally disabled individuals with significant service
needs. At one time, the state operated eight developmental
centers with a peak total population of 13,400. Today the state
operates three developmental centers with a population of about
1,000 residents. The Administration has submitted plans to the
Legislature to close Sonoma Developmental Center, Fairview
Developmental Center, and the general treatment program at
Porterville Developmental Center.
Historically, individuals were placed in developmental centers
(or state hospitals) because they had health care or support
needs that could not be met in a community setting. Over time,
services and supports available in the community have grown and
today many current developmental center residents or individuals
who once would have been developmental center residents are able
to reside in community settings with services and supports
coordinated by a regional center. The long-run trend is for
reduced residency in regional centers. There is a moratorium in
place preventing new admissions to developmental centers in most
circumstances.
Proposed Law:
SB 982 would require the Department of Developmental Services
to contract with an independent agency for a longitudinal study
of developmental center residents who relocate to the community
as a result of developmental center closures.
Specific provisions of the bill would:
Require the Department to contract with an independent agency
or organization for a longitudinal study to assess the quality
of life and outcomes of residents who relocate to the
SB 982 (McGuire) Page 2 of
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community;
Specify required qualifications for the contractor;
Require the contractor to measure consumer and family
satisfaction with services provided;
Require the contactor to conduct in-person interviews with
former residents and/or family, legal guardians, or
conservators, at least once per year;
Require the contractor to interview staff and friends of the
consumer and review records;
Require the Department to provide the contractor with access
to Department records;
Require the Department to submit interim reports at the end of
the first and second years and at the completion of the study.
Staff
Comments: The study required in the bill is modelled on a study
that was required for former residents of the now-closed
Stockton Developmental Center. However, many of the former
residents from the Stockton Developmental Center moved to other
state facilities, which simplified the process for collecting
data about those individuals.
While the intention of the bill seems to be for a three-year
longitudinal study, the bill does not specify the deadline for
the Department to submit the final study or include a sunset
date.
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