BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 1050
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 16, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                   SB 1050 (Alquist) - As Amended:  August 6, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              HealthVote:14 - 0 

                        Human Services                          4 - 0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill establishes until January 1, 2019, the autism 
          telehealth task force within the Department of Developmental 
          Services (DDS) and requires the task force to provide 
          recommendations to the department concerning telehealth services 
          for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          On-going costs between $25,000 and $50,000 GF for the DDS 
          workload associated with staffing the task force. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . This bill is intended to enhance and promote the use 
            of telehealth for the diagnosis and treatment of ASD by DDS 
            and regional centers. The author states that existing advisory 
            committees within DDS relating to ASD lack specific expertise 
            regarding telehealth and technology and have not been 
            structured for the purpose of making recommendations to DDS on 
            how best to expand use of telehealth in providing services to 
            individuals with ASD and their families. The author maintains 
            there is a significant divide between the organizations and 
            experts dedicated to telehealth technologies in general and 
            the technical expertise of individuals and organizations 
            dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with ASD. This 
            bill seeks to bridge that divide to help guide DDS as it 
            expands the use of telehealth to serve individuals with ASD.  

          2)Related Legislation  . SB 764 (Steinberg) requires DDS to 








                                                                  SB 1050
                                                                  Page  2

            establish a five-year pilot program to evaluate the 
            effectiveness and appropriateness of telehealth in providing 
            services to regional center consumers.  This bill is currently 
            on this committee's Suspense File.



           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 
          319-2081