BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 177
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   July 6, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                   SB 177 (Strickland) - As Amended:  May 25, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                             HealthVote:19-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill provides, for facilities in Santa Barbara County, an 
          exception to restrictions on the size of congregate living 
          health facilities that serve the terminally ill.  

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor and absorbable costs to the Department of Public Health 
          (DPH). Any additional costs would be covered by licensure fees 
          on facilities. 

           COMMENTS  

           Rationale  .  The author states that this bill is needed to allow 
          Santa Barbara County's only licensed hospice facility, called 
          Serenity House, to operate their new 18-bed hospice at capacity. 
           Serenity House is currently a six-bed facility, but due to 
          community demand, the new 18-bed hospice was built, under the 
          impression that a waiver could be obtained from DPH to operate 
          at that capacity.  This bill seeks to exempt facilities in Santa 
          Barbara County from the statutory 12-bed limit and instead allow 
          a maximum bed capacity of 25.  

           Background  .  Current law defines a congregate living health 
          facility as a residential home, with a capacity of no more than 
          12 beds that provides inpatient care.  Congregate living health 
          facilities servicing persons who are terminally ill, in counties 
          with populations 500,000 or over, may operate with up to 25 
          beds, however.  


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 








                                                                  SB 177
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