(a) (1) The department shall establish policies and procedures for the development of an annual community placement plan by regional centers. The community placement plan shall be based upon an individual program plan process as referred to in subdivision (a) of Section 4418.3 and shall be linked to the development of the annual State Budget. The department’s policies shall address statewide priorities, plan requirements, and the statutory roles of regional centers, developmental centers, and regional resource development projects in the process of assessing consumers for community living and in the development of community resources.

(2) (A) In addition to the existing priorities to support the closure of the developmental centers and the development of services and supports to transition individuals from restrictive settings, including institutions for mental disease, the department also shall establish guidelines by which community placement plan funds appropriated through the budget process may be utilized for community resource development to address the needs for services and supports of consumers living in the community in accordance with Section 4679.

Ask an insurance law question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(B) The department may allocate funds to regional centers for purposes of community resource development as provided in this paragraph when the department determines that sufficient funding has been appropriated and reserved for a fiscal year for development of the resources that are necessary to address the needs of persons moving from a developmental center pursuant to Section 4474.11, and no sooner than 30 days after the department has provided notice of this determination to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature.

(b) (1) To reduce reliance on developmental centers and mental health facilities, including institutions for mental disease as described in Part 5 (commencing with Section 5900) of Division 5, for which federal funding is not available, and out-of-state placements, the department shall establish a statewide specialized resource service that does all of the following:

(A) Tracks the availability of specialty residential beds and services.

(B) Tracks the availability of specialty clinical services.

(C) Coordinates the need for specialty services and supports in conjunction with regional centers.

(D) Identifies, subject to federal reimbursement, developmental center services and supports that can be made available to consumers residing in the community, when no other community resource has been identified.

(2) By September 1, 2012, regional centers shall provide the department with information about all specialty resources developed with the use of community placement plan funds and shall make these resources available to other regional centers.

(3) When allocating funding for community placement plans, priority shall be given to the development of needed statewide specialty services and supports, including regional community crisis homes.

(4) If approved by the director, funding may be allocated to facilities that meet the criteria of Sections 1267.75 and 1531.15 of the Health and Safety Code.

(5) The department shall not provide community placement plan funds to develop programs that are ineligible for federal funding participation unless approved by the director.

(c) (1) The community placement plan shall provide for dedicated funding for comprehensive assessments of developmental center residents, for identified costs of moving individuals from developmental centers to the community, and for deflection of individuals from developmental center admission. The plans shall, where appropriate, include budget requests for regional center operations, assessments, resource development, and ongoing placement costs. These budget requests are intended to provide supplemental funding to regional centers. The plan is not intended to limit the department’s or regional centers’ responsibility to otherwise conduct assessments and individualized program planning, and to provide needed services and supports in the least restrictive, most integrated setting in accord with the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500)).

(2) (A) Regional centers shall complete a comprehensive assessment of a consumer residing in a developmental center on July 1, 2012, who meets both of the following criteria:

(i) The consumer is not committed pursuant to § 1370.1 of the Penal Code.

(ii) The consumer has not had such an assessment in the prior two years.

(B) The assessment shall include input from the regional center, the consumer, and, if appropriate, the consumer’s family, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative, and shall identify the types of community-based services and supports available to the consumer that would enable the consumer to move to a community setting. Necessary services and supports not currently available in the community setting shall be considered for development pursuant to community placement planning and funding.

(C) Regional centers shall specify in the annual community placement plan how they will complete the required assessment and the timeframe for completing the assessment for each consumer. Initial assessments pursuant to this paragraph for individuals residing in a developmental center on July 1, 2012, shall be completed by December 31, 2015, unless a regional center demonstrates to the department that an extension of time is necessary and the department grants such an extension.

(D) The assessment completed in the prior two years, or the assessment completed pursuant to the requirements of this section, including any updates pursuant to subparagraph (E), shall be provided to both of the following:

(i) The individual program planning team and clients’ rights advocate for the regional center in order to assist the planning team in determining the least restrictive environment for the consumer.

(ii) The superior court with jurisdiction over the consumer’s placement at the developmental center, including the consumer’s attorney of record and other parties known to the regional center. For judicial proceedings pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 6, the comprehensive assessment shall be included in the regional center’s written report required by Section 6504.5. For all other proceedings, the regional center shall provide the comprehensive assessment to the court and parties to the case at least 14 days in advance of regularly scheduled judicial review. This clause shall not apply to consumers committed pursuant to § 1370.1 of the Penal Code.

(E) The assessments described in subparagraph (D) shall be updated annually as part of the individual program planning process for as long as the consumer resides in the developmental center. To the extent appropriate, the regional center shall also provide relevant information from the statewide specialized resource service. The regional center shall notify the clients’ rights advocate for the regional center of the time, date, and location of each individual program plan meeting that includes discussion of the results of the comprehensive assessment and updates to that assessment. The regional center shall provide this notice as soon as practicable following the completion of the comprehensive assessment or update and not less than 30 calendar days before the meeting. The clients’ rights advocate may participate in the meeting unless the consumer objects on their own behalf.

(d) The department shall review, negotiate, and approve regional center community placement plans for feasibility and reasonableness, including recognition of each regional centers’ current developmental center population and their corresponding placement level, as well as each regional centers’ need to develop new and innovative service models. The department shall hold regional centers accountable for the development and implementation of their approved plans. The regional centers shall report, as required by the department, on the outcomes of their plans. The department shall make aggregate performance data for each regional center available, upon request, as well as data on admissions to, and placements from, each developmental center.

(e) Funds allocated by the department to a regional center for a community placement plan developed under this section shall be controlled through the regional center contract to ensure that the funds are expended for the purposes allocated. Funds allocated for community placement plans that are not used for that purpose may be transferred to Item 4300-003-0001 for expenditure in the state developmental centers if their population exceeds the budgeted level. Any unspent funds shall revert to the General Fund.

(f) Commencing May 1, 2013, and then on April 1, 2014, and on April 1 annually thereafter, the department shall provide to the fiscal and appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, and to the contractor for regional center clients’ rights advocacy services under Section 4433, information on efforts to serve consumers with challenging service needs, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) For each regional center, the number of consumers admitted to each developmental center, including the legal basis for the admissions.

(2) For each regional center, the number of consumers described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 7505 who were admitted to Fairview Developmental Center by court order pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 6, and the number and lengths of stay of consumers, including those who have transitioned back to a community living arrangement.

(3) Outcome data related to the assessment process set forth in Section 4418.7, including the number of consumers who received assessments pursuant to Section 4418.7 and the outcomes of the assessments. Each regional center, commencing March 1, 2013, and then on February 1, 2014, and on February 1 annually thereafter, shall provide the department with information on alternative community services and supports provided to those consumers who were able to remain in the community following the assessments, and the unmet service needs that resulted in any consumers being admitted to Fairview Developmental Center.

(4) Progress in the development of needed statewide specialty services and supports, including regional community crisis options, as provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). Each regional center shall provide the department with a report containing the information described in this paragraph commencing March 1, 2013, and then on February 1, 2014, and on February 1 annually thereafter.

(5) Progress in reducing reliance on mental health facilities ineligible for federal Medicaid funding, and out-of-state placements, including information on the utilization of those facilities, which shall include, by regional center, all of the following:

(A) The total number and age range of consumers placed in those facilities.

(B) The number of admissions.

(C) The reasons for admissions by category, including, but not limited to, incompetent-to-stand-trial (IST) commitment, Section 6500 commitment, crisis stabilization, and lack of appropriate community placement.

(D) The lengths of stay of consumers.

(E) The type of facility.

(6) Information on the utilization of facilities serving consumers with challenging service needs that utilize delayed egress devices and secured perimeters, pursuant to Section 1267.75 or 1531.15 of the Health and Safety Code, including the number of admissions, reasons for admissions, and lengths of stay of consumers, including those who have transitioned to less restrictive living arrangements.

(7) If applicable, any recommendations regarding additional rate exceptions or modifications beyond those allowed for under existing law that the department identifies as necessary to meet the needs of consumers with challenging service needs.

(g) Each regional center, commencing March 1, 2013, and then on February 1, 2014, and on February 1 annually thereafter, shall provide information to the department regarding the facilities described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (f), including, but not limited to, the number of admissions, reasons for admissions, and lengths of stay of consumers, including those who have transitioned to less restrictive living arrangements.

(h) Each institution for mental disease that, in the preceding year, has admitted a regional center consumer, including consumers whose placements are not funded by a regional center, shall report quarterly on February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1, to the department, the regional center providing services to the consumer, and the contractor for regional center clients’ rights advocacy services under Section 4433, all of the following in a format prescribed by the department:

(1) The total number and age, race, and ethnicity of consumers placed in that facility.

(2) The number of admissions.

(3) The reasons for admissions by category.

(4) The lengths of stay of consumers.

(5) The funding source.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 49, Sec. 12. (SB 188) Effective June 30, 2022.)