Bill Text: CA AB834 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 834 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: School-based health programs.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-09-01 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB834 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB834-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 28, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 834

Introduced by Assembly Member O'Donnell

February 16, 2017

An act to add Article 14 (commencing with Section 32445) to Chapter 3 of Part 19 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code, relating to school health.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 834, as amended, O'Donnell. School-based health programs.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law establishes the Administrative Claiming process under which the department is authorized to contract with local governmental agencies and local educational consortia for the purpose of obtaining federal matching funds to assist with the performance of administrative activities relating to the Medi-Cal program that are provided by a local governmental agency or local educational agency (LEA). Existing law also provides that specified services provided by LEAs are covered Medi-Cal benefits and are reimbursable on a fee-for-service basis under the LEA Medi-Cal billing option.

This bill would require the State Department of Education to, no later than July 1, 2018, establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of, among other things, administering health-related programs under the purview of the State Department of Education and advising on issues related to the delivery of school-based Medi-Cal services in the state. The bill would authorize the office to develop a workgroup for the purpose of assisting the office’s efforts that shall be representative of the diversity of California LEAs and include representatives of specified entities involved in the delivery of school-based Medi-Cal services, as specified. The bill would authorize the office to form additional technical advisory groups, as specified, and would require the State Department of Education to make available to the office any information on other school-based dental, health, and mental health programs.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Article 14 (commencing with Section 32445) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 19 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code, to read:

Article 14. Office of School-Based Health Programs

32445.

For purposes of this article the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “Department” means the State Department of Education.

(b) “Office” means the Office of School-Based Health Programs established pursuant to this article.

32447.

(a) The department shall, no later than July 1, 2018, establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of administering current health-related programs under the purview of the department, advising on issues related to the delivery of school-based Medi-Cal services in the state, developing recommendations for an interagency agreement or memorandum of understanding between the Department of Health Care Services and the department, and assisting the Department of Health Care Services in formulating the Medi-Cal state plan amendments required by subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 14115.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The scope of the office shall include, but not be limited to, improving the operation of, and participation in, the following school-based health programs:

(1) The Administrative Claiming process described in Section 14132.47 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(2) The local educational agency (LEA) Medi-Cal billing option described in Section 14132.06 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(b) (1) The office shall, no later than January 1, 2019, provide input to the department on the development of of, and, if applicable, continuing operations of of, the interagency agreement or memorandum of understanding described in subdivision (a). The recommendations of the office shall identify opportunities for effective coordination between the state’s health and education systems at the state, regional, and local ~~level,~~ levels, identify ways the department can maximize its school-based Medicaid program expertise, recommend an appeals process for the Administrative Claiming ~~program~~ process and the LEA Medi-Cal billing option, and identify necessary legislation or state plan amendments to support its recommendations.

(2) The office shall advise the department on creating consistency across local educational consortia (LECs), local governmental agencies (LGAs), and the department with respect to contracts and processes for the Administrative Claiming process described in Section 14132.47 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(3) The office shall determine the opportunities for, and the benefits, costs, and feasibility of the following:

(A) Increasing LEA participation and maximizing allowable federal financial participation in the Administrative Claiming process and the LEA Medi-Cal billing option.

(B) Increasing contracting options for LEAs participating in the Administrative Claiming process, such as allowing an LEA to contract with an LEC or LGA outside of the LEA's region.

(D) Identifying areas that may require a state plan amendment.

(E) Integrating and expanding other school-based health and mental health programs with the Administrative Claiming process and the LEA Medi-Cal billing ~~option, including, but not limited to, those being implemented in accordance with the LEA’s local control and accountability plan described in Section 52060.~~ option.

(c) (1) The office may develop a workgroup to assist its efforts that shall be representative of the diversity of California LEAs with respect to size, type, and geographic diversity and shall include representatives from county offices of education, urban, suburban, and rural LEAs, and LECs and LGAs described in Section 14132.47 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The workgroup shall also include representatives of the LEA Ad Hoc Workgroup described in Section 14132.06 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, members with expertise in school-based health and mental health programs, representatives from the LEC Advisory Committee, and representatives of the Local Governmental Agency Consortium.

(2) The workgroup described in paragraph (1) shall, on a regular basis, provide input to the office on the degree to which the process and implementation of the Administrative Claiming process described in Section 14132.47 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and the LEA Medi-Cal billing option described in Section 14132.06 of the Welfare and Institutions Code are meeting the needs of LEAs with respect to cost-effectiveness, program structure, and operational effectiveness, including the process of appeals and balancing withheld funds and actual expenses.

(d) The office may form technical advisory groups as necessary that shall report back to the office on the development of plans and timelines to implement the changes and expanded options described in this section.

(e) The department shall make available to the office any information on other school-based dental, health, and mental health programs, including, but not limited to, the mental health programs described in Section 14700 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and school-based health centers that may receive Medi-Cal funding.