Bill Text: CA SB472 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Early intervention services: assessments.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-31 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB472 Detail]

Download: California-2011-SB472-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 472	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 2, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 11, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Correa
    (   Coauthor:   Senator   Hancock
  ) 

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

   An act to add Section 95016.5 to the Government Code, relating to
children's services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 472, as amended, Correa. Early intervention services:
assessments.
   Existing law, the California Early Intervention Services Act, is
administered jointly by the Secretary of the Health and Human
Services Agency and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, with
the State Department of Developmental Services as the lead agency
responsible for administration and coordination of the statewide
system of services for the enhancement of the development of children
who have disabilities or who are at risk of having disabilities and
to minimize the potential for delays in their development. Under
existing law, these provisions are in effect only until the state
terminates its participation in prescribed components of the federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
   This bill would require the secretary and the superintendent to
develop either an integrated assessment instrument or a process to
consolidate assessments to be used to coordinate multiple agency
assessments, and to report to the Legislature by January 1, 2013.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 95016.5 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   95016.5.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (1) Children receiving special education and related services are
often clients of a regional center, of the California Children's
Services program, and recipients of county  health 
 or  mental health services.
   (2) Each organization may require separate assessments annually
and may require parents to provide the same information multiple
times on separate required forms.
   (3) Multiple assessments can be a burden on families and children
who must find the time and resources to travel to several different
locations each year for multiple assessments.
   (b) With the goal of finding ways to consolidate assessments and
the attendant paperwork, the Secretary of California Health and Human
Services and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, or their
designees,  in consultation with representatives of county mental
health services and the California Children's Services program,
 shall develop either of the following to be used to coordinate
multiple agency assessments:
   (1) An integrated assessment instrument that can be performed in
one place at one time each year and that will serve the assessment
needs of all service agencies.
   (2) A process whereby the several assessments can be conducted in
one place and time.
   (c) The integrated assessment instrument or process shall
initially focus on infants and toddlers; however, it shall be
flexible enough to continue to serve as an instrument or process to
coordinate assessments for needed services as the child continues to
age.
   (d) The secretary and superintendent shall complete this work by
January 1, 2013, and shall report their findings to the Legislature
at that time.