BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1445
Page 1
Date of Hearing: July 2, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
SB 1445 (Evans) - As Amended: June 25, 2014
Policy Committee: Human
ServicesVote:6 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill clarifies that telehealth services and supports are
among the services and supports authorized to be included as
part of an individual program plan (IPP) under the Lanterman
Act.
FISCAL EFFECT
Negligible state fiscal impact.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . The author states that despite the implication in
law that permits regional centers to integrate telehealth into
their service models for individuals with developmental
disabilities, many regional centers have been reluctant to use
the treatment model. This bill is intended to clarify that
existing services and supports may be provided through
telehealth by regional centers under the provisions of the
Lanterman Act.
2)Background . California provides community-based services to
approximately 250,000 persons with developmental disabilities
and their families through a statewide system of 21 regional
centers. Regional centers are private, nonprofit agencies
under contract with the Department of Developmental Services
for the provision of various services and supports to people
with developmental disabilities. As a single point of entry,
regional centers provide diagnostic and assessment services to
determine eligibility, convene planning teams to develop an
Individual Program Plan for each eligible consumer, and either
SB 1445
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provide or obtain from generic agencies appropriate services
for each consumer in accordance with the Individual Program
Plan.
3)Telehealth. The Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011 was
established in AB 415 (Logue) Chapter 547, Statutes of 2011.
One of the primary goals of telehealth under the Act is to
expand health care consumers' access to convenient and quality
care in an effort to maintain or improve the physical and
economic health of medically underserved communities.
Telehealth is meant to enhance the overall health care
delivery system while saving money, preserving health-related
jobs, and increasing meaningful and positive interactions
between patients and providers.
The use of telehealth gives individuals with developmental
disabilities who may not otherwise be able to receive care in
a regular office setting-due to distance or discomfort, for
example-the opportunity to interact with care professionals
while they're in their own homes, schools, or other
comfortable and familiar settings. Allowing local health
providers to interact with other health providers in another
location remotely can be useful in obtaining additional input
on what might be complex and otherwise unaddressed conditions,
therefore increasing the quality of care provided to a
patient.
4)Related Legislation .
a) AB 1231 (V.M. Perez), 2013, which required the
Department of Developmental Services to inform all regional
centers that appropriate services may be provided to
regional center consumers through the use of telehealth,
was vetoed.
b) SB 764 (Steinberg), 2012, which required the use of
telehealth to be considered when developing each Individual
Program Plan, was vetoed.
c) SB 1050 (Alquist), 2012, which required the Department
of Developmental Services to establish an autism telehealth
taskforce, was vetoed.
Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916)
SB 1445
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319-2081