Bill Text: CA AB1744 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: California Department of Aging.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Vetoed) 2014-09-30 - Vetoed by Governor. [AB1744 Detail]
Download: California-2013-AB1744-Enrolled.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 1744 ENROLLED
BILL TEXT
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 25, 2014
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 27, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 21, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 19, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 4, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 23, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 20, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Brown
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Atkins)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Cooley, Levine, Waldron, and Yamada)
FEBRUARY 14, 2014
An act to add and repeal Section 9104 to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to aging.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1744, Brown. California Department of Aging.
The Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act creates the California
Department of Aging to provide leadership to the area agencies on
aging in developing systems of home- and community-based services
that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive
homelike environments. Existing law requires the department, in
accomplishing its mission, to consider available data and population
trends in developing programs and policies, collaborate with area
agencies on aging, the California Commission on Aging, and other
state and local agencies.
This bill, until January 1, 2018, would require the department to
establish a blue-ribbon task force comprised of at least 13 members,
as specified, to make legislative recommendations regarding
supportive services for family caregivers in California, if the
department receives sufficient nonstate funds from private sources to
implement the bill. The bill would require the task force to prepare
a report of its findings and recommendations and provide it to the
Legislature on or before July 1, 2017. The bill would make related
findings and declarations.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the
California Caregiver Act of 2014.
SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) A caregiver can be any relative, partner, friend, or neighbor
who has a significant relationship with, and who provides a broad
range of assistance to, an older person or an adult with a chronic or
disabling condition.
(b) At present, there is no complete inventory of caregiving
programs available to Californians performing unpaid caregiving
services for an aging or disabled family member, friend, or neighbor.
(c) Family support is a key driver in remaining in one's home and
community, but it comes at substantial costs to the caregivers, their
families, and to society. If family caregivers were no longer
available, the economic cost to California's health care and
long-term services and supports systems would increase
astronomically.
(d) Fifty-nine percent of all family caregivers are employed full
or part time. Family caregivers typically spend 20 hours a week
caring for a family member who needs help with bathing, dressing, and
other kinds of personal care, as well as household tasks such as
shopping and managing finances.
SEC. 3. Section 9104 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
9104. (a) The department shall establish a blue-ribbon task force
on unpaid family caregiving upon receipt of sufficient nonstate
funds, as determined by the department, from private sources to
implement this section. The department shall use the private funds
solely for the planning, operation, assessment, and final
recommendations of the task force.
(b) The task force shall be chaired by a representative elected by
the members of the task force.
(c) The task force shall be comprised of at least 13 members, each
of whom shall have experience in one or more of the following
categories:
(1) A person with experience in the field of academic research on
caregiving.
(2) A family caregiver for an adult with a chronic or disabling
condition.
(3) A representative of the mental health community.
(4) A representative of the California caregiver resource centers.
(5) A representative of the Alzheimer's Disease community.
(6) A representative of an organization that provides
community-based adult services.
(7) A representative of an organization that provides services to
caregivers.
(8) A representative of a nonprofit organization representing
senior citizens.
(9) A representative with expertise in and knowledge of the
specific needs of culturally and linguistically diverse caregivers
and the unique challenges of delivering services to family caregivers
who face cultural or linguistic barriers.
(10) An adult with a chronic or disabling condition who receives
care from an unpaid caregiver or family member.
(11) A director or designated representative of an area agency on
aging.
(d) The blue-ribbon task force shall do all of the following:
(1) Review the current policies and practices of state, local, and
community programs available to caregivers of adults with chronic or
disabling conditions, and consider how the needs of family
caregivers should be assessed and addressed so that they can continue
in their caregiving role without being overburdened.
(2) Consider the recommendations of other state plans, including,
but not limited to, the Olmstead Plan, the Long-Range Strategic Plan
on Aging, the State Plan for Alzheimer's Disease, and the State Plan
on Aging.
(3) Compile an inventory of the resources available to family
caregivers.
(4) Determine gaps in services to family caregivers and identify
barriers to participation in current programs.
(5) Consider cultural and linguistic factors that impact
caregivers and care recipients who are from diverse populations.
(6) Consult with a broad range of stakeholders, including, but not
limited to, people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, adults with
disabling or chronic conditions, family caregivers, community-based
and institutional providers, caregiving researchers and academicians,
formal caregivers, the Caregiver Resource Centers, the California
Commission on Aging, and other state entities.
(7) Solicit testimony on the needs of family caregivers, including
the designation of caregivers, training, respite services, medical
leave policies, delegation of tasks to nonmedical aides, and other
policies.
(8) Assess information referral and resource sharing systems used
by family caregivers by doing all of the following:
(A) Compiling an inventory of the resources available to family
caregivers.
(B) Determining access barriers in the current system.
(C) Considering the cultural and linguistic factors that impact
caregivers and care recipients who are from diverse populations.
(D) Comparing consistency of access across the counties.
(9) Identify best practices both in California and in other
states.
(10) Explore expanding those best practices in caregiving programs
to populations that are not currently targeted.
(11) Make specific recommendations that address, at a minimum,
each of the following:
(A) The development of an Internet Web site or portal that
contains a list of current resources and supports available in a
family caregiver's community, and the contact information of a person
or organization who can help a family caregiver navigate these
support services.
(B) The enhancement of outreach and education efforts by area
agencies on aging and family resource centers.
(C) The development of a caregiver screening and assessment tool
that will help identify which services and supports a family
caregiver needs.
(12) Prepare and provide to the Legislature a report of its
findings and recommendations on or before July 1, 2017.
(e) (1) Members shall serve without compensation, but shall
receive reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses
actually incurred in the performance of their official duties.
(2) The task force shall meet on a bimonthly basis.
(3) Members of the task force shall be appointed to serve for the
duration of the task force.
(4) All meetings of the task force shall be open to the public and
adequate notice shall be provided in accordance with the
Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section
11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the
Government Code).
(f) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (11) of
subdivision (d) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of
the Government Code.
(g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends
that date.
