Bill Text: CA SB1040 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: In-home supportive services: natural disaster.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2018-09-26 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 789, Statutes of 2018. [SB1040 Detail]
Download: California-2017-SB1040-Chaptered.html
| Senate Bill No. 1040 |
| CHAPTER 789 |
An act to amend Section 34052 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 12301.1 of, and to add Sections 12304.41 and 12312 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to in-home supportive services.
[
Approved by
Governor
September 26, 2018.
Filed with
Secretary of State
September 26, 2018.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1040, Dodd.
In-home supportive services: natural disaster.
(1) Existing law establishes the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, administered by the State Department of Social Services and counties, under which qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons are provided with supportive services, as defined, in order to permit them to remain in their own homes. The California Emergency Services Act authorizes the Governor to declare a state of emergency under specified conditions and requires a county, including a city and county, to update its emergency plan to address, among other things, how the access and functional needs population, as defined, is served by emergency communications, evacuation, and sheltering.
This bill would require a county to use a void and reissue warrant process for any provider who lost or had damaged an uncashed warrant because of a natural
disaster resulting in a state of emergency. The bill would require a county, including a city and county, at the next update to its emergency plan, to integrate and require the assessment and provision of supportive services to IHSS recipients.
(2) Existing law establishes the Predevelopment Loan Fund for the purpose of making predevelopment loans and land purchase loans to eligible sponsors, as defined, for assisted housing for occupancy primarily by persons of low income. Existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to award those funds to provide disaster relief in communities subject to a natural disaster, if the funds have been made available for that purpose. Existing law requires those funds to be used for housing persons of low income and moderate income, with first priority given to funding housing for persons of low and moderate income.
This bill would require first priority for those funds in providing disaster relief to also be given to fund housing for IHSS recipients.
(3) Existing law requires a county welfare department to establish an IHSS recipient’s weekly authorized number of hours of services, pursuant to a specified formula. Under existing law, the county welfare department may temporarily adjust the authorized weekly hours of a recipient at the request of
the recipient to accommodate unexpected extraordinary circumstances.
This bill would specify that the extraordinary circumstance may include a situation arising out of a natural disaster.
(4) By increasing the duties of counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(5) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
This act shall be known as the “In-Home Supportive Services Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Consumer Safety Act.”SEC. 2.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) In-home supportive services (IHSS) consumers have unique and specific needs for which they are statutorily entitled to care and service with dignity.
(b) During a natural disaster resulting in the declaration of a state of emergency, there is currently no comprehensive statewide approach or mandate in relation to how much additional supportive services are required to be provided to IHSS consumers, or even that additional supportive services are required to be provided at all.
(c) The lack of a comprehensive statewide approach or mandate leaves IHSS consumers unacceptably vulnerable.
(d) The unique and specific needs of IHSS consumers during a natural disaster resulting in the declaration of a state of emergency may require the provision of additional hours of supportive services, as determined by county social workers.
SEC. 3.
Section 34052 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:34052.
For the purpose of providing disaster relief in communities subject to a natural disaster, the department shall award funds pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 50530) of Part 2 of Division 31 if funds have been made available for this purpose. Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 50531, funds shall be used for housing for persons of low and moderate income, including persons who are recipients of in-home supportive services, with first priority given to funding housing for persons of low income, including recipients of in-home supportive services.SEC. 4.
Section 12301.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:12301.1.
(a) The department shall adopt regulations establishing a uniform range of services available to all eligible recipients based upon individual needs. The availability of services under these regulations is subject to the provisions of Section 12301 and county plans developed pursuant to Section 12302.(b) (1) The county welfare department shall assess each recipient’s continuing monthly need for in-home supportive services at varying intervals as necessary, but at least once every 12 months. The results of this assessment of monthly need for hours of in-home supportive services shall be divided by 4.33, to establish a recipient’s weekly authorized number of hours of
in-home supportive services, subject to any of the following, as
applicable:
(A) Within the limit of the assessed monthly need for hours of in-home supportive services, a county welfare department may adjust the authorized weekly hours of a recipient for any particular week for known recurring or periodic needs of the recipient.
(B) Within the limit of the assessed monthly need for hours of in-home supportive services, a county welfare department may temporarily adjust the authorized weekly hours of a recipient at the request of the recipient, to accommodate unexpected extraordinary circumstances, including, but not limited to, a situation arising out of a natural disaster.
(C) In addition to the flexibility provided to a recipient pursuant to subparagraph (C) of
paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 12300.4, a recipient may request the county welfare department to adjust his or her weekly authorized hours of services to exceed 40 hours of weekly authorized hours of services per week, within his or her total monthly authorized hours of services. A request for adjustment may be made retroactive to the hours actually worked. The county welfare department shall not unreasonably withhold approval of a recipient request made pursuant to this subparagraph.
(2) For purposes of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1), and prior to its implementation, the State Department of Social Services shall develop a process for requests made pursuant to that subparagraph. The process shall include all of the following:
(A) The procedure, standards, and
timeline for making a request to adjust the authorized weekly hours of service for a recipient described in this section.
(B) The language to be used for notices about the process.
(C) Provisions for adjustments to authorization, and for authorization after services have been provided, when the criteria for approval have been met.
(D) A requirement that the opportunity for a revision to the limitations of this section shall be discussed at each annual reassessment, and also may be authorized by the county welfare department outside of the reassessment process.
(3) Recipients shall be timely informed of their total monthly and weekly authorized hours.
(4) The weekly authorization of services defined in this section shall be used solely for the purposes of ensuring compliance with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and its implementing regulations.
(5) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this subdivision by means of all-county letters, or similar instructions, without taking any regulatory action.
(c) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), at the county’s option, assessments may be extended, on a case-by-case basis, for up to six months beyond
the regular 12-month period, provided that the county documents that all of the following conditions exist:
(A) The recipient has had at least one reassessment since the initial program intake assessment.
(B) The recipient’s living arrangement has not changed since the last annual reassessment and the recipient lives with others, or has regular meaningful contact with persons other than his or her service provider.
(C) The recipient or, if the recipient is a minor, his or her parent or legal guardian, or if incompetent, his or her conservator, is able to satisfactorily direct the recipient’s care.
(D) There has not been a known change in the recipient’s supportive
service needs within the previous 24 months.
(E) A report has not been made to, and there has been no involvement of, an adult protective services agency or agencies since the county last assessed the recipient.
(F) The recipient has not had a change in provider or providers for at least six months.
(G) The recipient has not reported a change in his or her need for supportive services that requires a reassessment.
(H) The recipient has not been hospitalized within the last three months.
(2) If some, but not all, of the conditions specified in paragraph (1) are met, the county may consider other factors
in determining whether an extended assessment interval is appropriate, including, but not limited to, involvement in the recipient’s care of a social worker, case manager, or other similar representative from another human services agency, such as a regional center or county mental health program, or communications, or other instructions from a physician or other licensed health care professional that the recipient’s medical condition is unlikely to change.
(3) A county may reassess a recipient’s need for services at a time interval of less than 12 months from a recipient’s initial intake or last assessment if the county social worker has information indicating that the recipient’s need for services is expected to decrease in less than 12 months.
(d) A county shall assess a
recipient’s need for supportive services any time that the recipient notifies the county of a need to adjust the supportive services hours authorized, or if there are other indications or expectations of a change in circumstances affecting the recipient’s need for supportive services.
(e) (1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, until emergency regulations are filed with the Secretary of State, the department may implement this section through all-county letters or similar instructions from the director. The department shall adopt emergency regulations implementing this section no later than September 30, 2005, unless notification of a delay is made to the Chair of the Joint
Legislative Budget Committee prior to that date. The notification shall include the reason for the delay, the current status of the emergency regulations, a date by which the emergency regulations shall be adopted, and a statement of need to continue use of all-county letters or similar instructions. The adoption of emergency regulations shall not be delayed, or the use of all-county letters or similar instructions be extended, beyond June 30, 2006.
(2) The adoption of regulations implementing this section shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. The emergency regulations authorized by this section are exempt from review by the Office of Administrative Law. The emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be submitted to the Office of
Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days by which time final regulations shall be adopted. The department shall seek input from the entities listed in Section 12305.72 when developing all-county letters or similar instructions and the regulations.
SEC. 5.
Section 12304.41 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:12304.41.
If a natural disaster has resulted in a declared state of emergency, affected counties shall use a void and reissue warrant process for any provider who lost or had damaged an uncashed warrant because of the natural disaster. When reissuing the uncashed warrant, a county shall verify the provider’s current mailing address and update the mailing address in the Case Management Information and Payroll System to ensure that the reissued warrant will be mailed to the provider’s current address.SEC. 6.
Section 12312 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:12312.
A county, including a city and county, shall, upon the next update to its emergency plan, integrate and require the assessment and provision of supportive services to in-home supportive services (IHSS) recipients, including, but not limited to, the following requirements:(a) Protocols and authorization for county social workers to make expedited assessments of the needs of current and potential IHSS recipients during times of a natural disaster.
(b) Protocols to ensure that authorized services will continue to be provided to recipients during times of displacement resulting from a natural disaster.
(c) Protocols to address any specific and unique needs of IHSS recipients that have not previously been addressed in the county’s or the city and county’s emergency plan pursuant to Section 8593.3 of the Government Code.
