BILL NUMBER: AB 861 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ruskin
FEBRUARY 26, 2009
An act to amend Sections 18986.86 and 18986.87 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to county integrated health and human
services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 861, as introduced, Ruskin. County integrated health and human
services.
Existing law authorizes Humboldt, Mendocino, and Alameda Counties,
and any additional county or counties, as determined by the
Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, with
the assistance and participation of the appropriate state
departments, within the existing resources of those departments, to
implement a pilot program, upon approval of the county board of
supervisors, for the funding and delivery of services and benefits
through an integrated and comprehensive county health and human
services system.
This bill would, instead, authorize each county, with the
assistance and participation of the appropriate state departments,
within the existing resources of those departments, to implement a
program, upon approval of the county board of supervisors, for the
funding and delivery of services and benefits through an integrated
and comprehensive county health and human services system.
Existing law authorizes the integrated system to include specified
health and human services.
This bill would authorize the integrated system to include, but
not be limited to, those existing specified services and additional
services and programs.
Existing law requires a participating county, in consultation
with the appropriate state departments, as designated by the
Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, to
prepare an interim evaluation not later than 6 months following the
3rd year of the implementation of the program and a final evaluation
not later than July 1, 2008, and submit them to the Governor or the
Governor's designee and the appropriate policy committees of the
Legislature.
This bill would require a participating county to evaluate its
program with the participation of the appropriate state departments,
prepare an evaluation, submit it to the Governor or the Governor's
designee and the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature not
later than 6 months following the 3rd year of the implementation of
the program, and seek private funding to provide for the evaluation.
The bill would only require the evaluation to be conducted if
nonstate resources are made available for this purpose.
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 18986.86 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
is amended to read:
18986.86. (a) Humboldt County, Mendocino County, Alameda
County, and any additional county or counties, as determined by the
Secretary of California Health and Human Services, A
county, with the assistance and participation of the
appropriate state departments, within the existing resources of
those departments, may implement a program, upon approval of the
county board of supervisors for the funding and delivery of services
and benefits through an integrated and comprehensive county health
and human services system.
(b) In providing services through an integrated system to families
and individuals, the program may, among other things, do all of the
following:
(1) Implement and evaluate a system of universal intake for those
seeking services.
(2) Implement and evaluate a system whereby a family or individual
eligible for more than one service may be provided those services
through an integrated, coordinated service plan.
(3) Implement and evaluate a system of administration that
integrates and coordinates the management and support of client
services.
(4) Implement and evaluate a system of reporting and
accountability that provides for the combined provision of services
as provided for in paragraph (2), without the loss of state or
federal funds provided under current law.
(5) In consultation with the appropriate state departments, as
designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
any a participating county may develop specific
goals in addition to those specified in paragraphs (1) to (4),
inclusive, to achieve an integrated and comprehensive county health
and human services system.
(c) The integrated system may include any or all of
, but need not be limited to, the following:
(1) Adoption services.
(2) Child abuse prevention services.
(3) Child welfare services.
(4) Delinquency prevention services.
(5) Drug and alcohol services.
(6) Mental health services.
(7) Eligibility determination.
(8) Employment and training services.
(9) Foster care services.
(10) Health services.
(11) Public health services.
(12) Housing services.
(13) Medically indigent program services.
(14) California Children's Services Program.
(15) Child Health and Disability Prevention Program.
(16) Health care services for children in foster care.
(17) Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.
(18) Immunization outreach and education.
(19) Maternal and child health services.
(20) Adolescent Family Life Program.
(21) Tuberculosis control services.
(22) Bioterrorism preparedness and emergency response services.
(23) HIV/AIDS counseling and testing.
(24) HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
(25) HIV/AIDS surveillance.
(26) Oral health services.
(27) Preventative health care services for the aging.
(28) Sexually transmitted disease control.
(29) Tobacco control program services.
(30) Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program.
(d) (1) Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the
Civil Code shall apply to the programs or services providing
integrated services.
(2) Before a program obtains an individual's medical information,
including mental health and drug treatment records, his or her
informed authorization shall be obtained, or the informed
authorization of his or her custodial parent, or his or her guardian
shall be obtained if the individual is a minor, unless the minor is
authorized to give consent.
(3) Medical information shall not be disclosed to any individual
who is not authorized to have that information pursuant to the
authorization provided in paragraph (2).
(4) Medical information shall not be disclosed for any purpose
that is not authorized by the authorization in paragraph (2).
(5) The sharing of information permitted under paragraphs (2),
(3), and (4) shall be governed by memoranda of understanding among
the agencies represented on the team. These memoranda shall specify
the types of information that may be shared without a signed release
form, and the process to be used to ensure that current
confidentiality requirements, as described in subdivision (d), are
met.
(6) Any A client shall have access
to his or her medical information and shall have the right to correct
any inaccurate information contained in the medical information.
(e) Programs or services shall be included in the program 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. This program shall not generate any increased
expenditures from the General Fund.
(f) Each participating county and the appropriate state
departments shall jointly seek federal approval of the program, as
may be needed to ensure its funding and allow for the integrated
provision of services.
(g) This chapter shall not authorize each
a participating county to discontinue meeting its obligations
under current law to provide services or to reduce its accountability
for the provision of these services.
(h) This chapter shall not authorize a participating county to
reduce the county's eligibility under current law for state funding
for the services included in the program.
(i) A participating county shall utilize any and all state general
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.
(j) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall designate a
lead department to coordinate the state's participation in the county'
s program.
(k) The appropriate state departments , as designated by
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, that are
assisting, participating, and cooperating in the implementation of
the program authorized by this chapter shall have the authority to
waive regulations 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.
SEC. 2. Section 18986.87 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
18986.87. (a) A participating county shall, in consultation with
the appropriate state departments, as designated by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, develop outcomes
and performance measures specific to the project prior to the
implementation of the pilot program.
Implementation of a pilot program pursuant to this chapter shall
occur no later than January 1, 2009.
(b) A participating county shall evaluate its program with the
participation of the appropriate state departments , as
designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
and prepare interim and final evaluations an
evaluation and submit them it to
the Governor or the Governor's designee and the appropriate policy
committees of the Legislature. The interim report
evaluation shall be submitted not later than six months
following the third year of the implementation of the program.
The final report shall be submitted not later than July 1,
2008.
(c) Each participating county shall provide for the
evaluation of the program. A participating county,
with the assistance of the appropriate state departments, shall seek
private funding to provide for the program evaluation. The evaluation
required by this section shall be conducted only if nonstate
resources are made available for this purpose.