SB 856 Summary

• Establishes pilot program for enhanced behavioral supports homes (up to 6 per fiscal year until January 1, 2020) serving a maximum of 4 consumers each with developmental disabilities requiring intensive behavioral supports, eligible for federal Medicaid funding and licensed as community care facilities.

• Creates community crisis homes (maximum 8 consumers each) certified by State Department of Developmental Services to serve individuals with developmental disabilities in crisis, preventing admission to acute crisis centers, psychiatric hospitals, institutions for mental disease, or out-of-state placements.

• Authorizes admission to acute crisis centers at both Fairview and Sonoma Developmental Centers (commencing January 1, 2015) for court-committed individuals in acute crisis, with each facility limited to 5 residents in distinct units and requiring transition planning within 6 months to 1 year.

• Requires regional centers to provide comprehensive assessments of developmental center residents to courts, clients' rights advocates, and individual program planning teams to determine least restrictive community placements; assessments must be updated annually and provided at least 30 days before planning meetings.

• Authorizes regional centers to pay health insurance deductibles (in addition to copayments and coinsurance) for consumers meeting income thresholds, and increases rates for in-home respite services and personal assistance/supported living services by 5.82 percent commencing January 1, 2015.