Bill Text: CA AB3149 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 3149

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

Bill Title: Promotores and Promotoras Advisory and Oversight Workgroup.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-16 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB3149 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB3149-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 18, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3149

Introduced by Assembly Members Garcia and Reyes
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry and Santiago)

February 16, 2024

An act to add Section 18998.55 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to community health workers.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3149, as amended, Garcia. ~~Community health workers.~~ Promotores Advisory and Oversight Workgroup.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law sets forth a schedule of covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program, which includes community health worker services.
Existing law defines “community health worker” as a liaison, link, or intermediary between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services and to improve the access and cultural competence of service delivery and who is a frontline health worker either trusted by, or who has a close understanding of, the community served. Existing law includes in the definition of community health worker Promotores, Promotores de Salud, Community Health Representatives, navigators, and other nonlicensed health workers with specified qualifications.
This bill would require the department to, by no later than January 1, 2026, and until December 31, 2026, convene the Promotores Advisory and Oversight Workgroup to examine the implementation of the community health worker benefit under the Medi-Cal program. The bill would require the director to appoint no fewer than 9 individuals to the workgroup who have at least ten years experience working in California as, or with, Promotores. The bill would require the workgroup to be comprised of no less than 51% Promotores, as specified, and require the appointees to be from geographically diverse areas of the state. The bill would require the workgroup to advise the department to ensure that community health worker services are available to all eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries who want those services, to ensure that community health worker training and outreach materials are culturally and linguistically appropriate, to make recommendations on outreach efforts, as specified, and to provide input on issues that should be informed by community representatives who have lived experience with using and navigating Promotores services and the Medi-Cal program.
Existing law requires the Department of Health Care Access and Information to, on or before July 1, 2023, develop statewide requirements for community health worker certificate programs in consultation with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of Public Health, community health workers, Promotores and Promotores de Salud, or representative organizations. Existing law defines “community health worker” as, among other things, a liaison, link, or intermediary between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services and to improve the access and cultural competence of service delivery.
~~This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation related to community health workers.~~

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 18998.55 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

18998.55.
(a) By no later than January 1, 2026, and until December 31, 2026, the Department of Health Care Services shall convene the Promotores Advisory and Oversight Workgroup to examine the implementation of the community health worker benefit under the Medi-Cal program.
(b) The director shall appoint no fewer than nine individuals with at least 10 years experience working in California as, or with, Promotores, as included in the definition of community health worker in subdivision (b) of Section 18998. The workgroup shall be comprised of no less than 51 percent Promotores, including, but not limited to, a representative from a statewide network of Promotores and community health workers, a representative from a community-based organization, a representative from a health clinic or community health center, and a representative from a regional organization. Appointees shall be from geographically diverse areas of the state.
(c) The workgroup shall have all of the following duties:
(1) Advising the department to ensure that community health worker services are available to all eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries who want those services.
(2) Advising the department to ensure that community health worker training and outreach materials are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
(3) Making recommendations on outreach efforts so that all eligible Medi-Cal recipients and other target populations are aware of the availability of these services.
(4) Providing input on issues that should be informed by community representatives who have lived experience with using and navigating Promotores services and the Medi-Cal program.

SECTION 1.
It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that ensures that state agencies that contract with promotoras and community health workers have culturally and linguistically appropriate program and training materials, meeting facilitation, outreach strategies, and online platforms when working with promotoras and community health workers.