SB 346, as introduced, Beall. Public Social Services Programs: records.
Existing law establishes various public social services programs to provide for protection, care, and assistance to the people of the state in need of those services, by providing appropriate aid and services to the needy and distressed. Counties are responsible for administrating these programs, such as CalWORKs and Medi-Cal. Existing law, in this regard, and with some exceptions, requires all applications and records concerning any individual made or kept by any public officer or agency in connection with the administration of public social services for which grants-in-aid are received by this state from the federal government be kept confidential, as specified.
This bill would, to the extent permitted by federal law, authorize a county welfare department to share information with other local governmental programs, departments, or entities participating in the administration of public medical assistance or other social services programs in that county for the purposes of establishing a client-centered approach to the provision of those services. The bill would require the local governmental program, department, or entity receiving and maintaining information pursuant to these provisions to comply with applicable state and federal confidentiality and privacy laws. The bill would require the applicable state department to seek federal approval if necessary to implement this section with respect to a particular public medical assistance or social service program.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 10850.32 is added to the Welfare and
2Institutions Code, to read:
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a county welfare
4department may, without the need to provide written documentation
5that consent has been obtained from the client, share information
6with other local governmental programs, departments, or entities
7participating in the administration of public medical assistance or
8other social services programs in that county for the purposes of
9establishing a client-centered approach to the provision of those
10services.
11(b) Any local governmental program, department, or entity
12receiving and maintaining information pursuant to this section
13shall comply with all applicable state and federal confidentiality
14and privacy laws.
15(c) This section shall
be implemented only to the extent
16permitted by federal law.
17(d) If federal approval is necessary to implement this section
18with respect to a particular public medical assistance or social
19service program, the applicable state department shall seek that
20approval.
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