BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair

                                           1758 (Ammiano)
          
          Hearing Date:  08/02/2010           Amended: 06/30/2010
          Consultant:  Jacqueline Wong-HernandezPolicy Vote: Human  
          Services 5-0
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
          BILL SUMMARY: AB 1758 amends Section 18250 of the Welfare and  
          Institutions code to remove all references to "pilot project"  
          status of county-authorized wrap-around services, striking  
          "pilot projects" and replacing the phrase with the designation  
          of "wrap-around services program." This bill also replaces  
          "academic performance" with "stability in the least restrictive  
          school placement," in the list of outcomes evaluated in each  
          county's wrap-around services program.  

          This bill would also declare that pursuant to existing law  
          children categorically eligible for Medi-Cal benefits without a  
          share of cost due to receipt of benefits under the AFDC-FC  
          program shall remain eligible for Medi-Cal benefits during  
          participation in the wraparound services program.
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions               2010-11                  2011-12     
           2012-13                        Fund
           
          Code clean-up                                     $0              
                  $0               $0                  General

          Clarifies Medi-Cal eligibility         Likely very minor costs,  
          to the extent that          General
                                          eligible youth were mistakenly  
          denied coverage    Federal          
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS: 

          This bill would rename the wrap-around services pilot project,  
          the "County Wraparound Services Program." This cost-neutral  
          program is authorized in counties, and 39 counties participate  










          in it. It was originally a pilot project, but has since become  
          an ongoing program. This change would conform state statute to  
          reflect the program's change, by deleting all references to a  
          pilot status. Last year, AB 295 (Ammiano) contained similar code  
          clean-up provisions, which were later amended out.

          This bill specifically states that a child who is categorically  
          eligible for Medi-Cal benefits without a share of cost due to  
          receipt of benefits under the AFDC-FC program shall remain  
          eligible for Medi-Cal benefits during participation in the  
          wraparound services program, provided the child remains an  
          eligible child under the standards of existing law. This  
          provision clarifies existing law, and does not expand Medi-Cal  
          eligibility. It is intended to stop counties from mistakenly  
          removing the Medi-Cal coverage of eligible children due to  
          confusion about the program.