BILL NUMBER: AB 2322	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Feuer

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to amend Section 10850.1 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to public social service.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2322, as introduced, Feuer. Abuse of children, elder, or
dependent persons: confidentiality.
   Existing law generally provides for the confidentiality of
juvenile court records and records relating to the administration of
public social services. However, records connected to public social
services program are generally permitted to be disclosed for purposes
related to the administration of those program and for other
prescribed purposes. Under existing law, counties are authorized to
establish multidisciplinary teams to assist in determining the
services to be provided to persons receiving foster care and other
public social services. Existing law provides, for purposes of the
disclosure of information, the activities of multidisciplinary teams
engaged in the prevention, identification, and treatment of child
abuse or the abuse of elder or dependent persons are activities
performed in the administration of public social services.
   This bill would also provide that activities of multidisciplinary
teams engaged in the management of child abuse or the abuse of elder
or dependent persons are activities performed in the administration
of public social services.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 10850.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   10850.1.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes
of Section 10850, the activities of a multidisciplinary personnel
team engaged in the prevention, identification,  and
  management, and  treatment of child abuse or the
abuse of elder or dependent persons are activities performed in the
administration of public social services, and a member of the team
may disclose and exchange any information or writing that also is
kept or maintained in connection with any program of public social
services or otherwise designated as confidential under state law
which he or she reasonably believes is relevant to the prevention,
identification,  management,  or treatment of child abuse or
the abuse of elder or dependent persons to other members of the
team. All discussions relative to the disclosure or exchange of any
such information or writing during team meetings are confidential
and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, testimony concerning
any such discussion is not admissible in any criminal, civil, or
juvenile court proceeding.
   As used in this section, "child abuse" has the same meaning as
defined in Section 18951. As used in this section, "abuse of elder or
dependent persons" has the meaning given in Section 15610.
   As used in this section, "multidisciplinary personnel team" means
any team of three or more persons, as specified in Section 15715 or
18951, the members of which are trained in the prevention,
identification,  and   management, and 
treatment of child abuse or the abuse of elder or dependent persons
and are qualified to provide a broad range of services related to
child abuse or the abuse of elder or dependent persons.