10740-10751
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
SECTION 10740-10751
10740. It is hereby declared that provision for health care services and medical assistance in this code is a matter of statewide concern. The State Department of Health Services is hereby designated as the single state agency with full power to supervise every phase of the administration of health care services and medical assistance for which grants-in-aid are received from the United States government or made by the state in order to secure full compliance with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws. 10741. The department shall investigate, examine and make reports upon the public officers who are in any way responsible for the administration of public funds used for health care services and medical assistance. 10742. The department shall advise public officers regarding the administration of health care services and medical assistance by public agencies throughout the state, and shall supervise the administration of such services and assistance to all persons receiving or eligible to receive such services and assistance. 10743. In administering any funds appropriated or made available to the department for disbursement through the counties for welfare purposes, the department shall establish regulations, not in conflict with the law fixing statewide standards for the administration of all state or federally assisted health care services or medical assistance programs. All regulations established by the department shall be binding upon the boards of supervisors and the county department. 10743.5. It is the intent of the Legislature that, if the department seeks a waiver for any experimental, pilot, or demonstration project in the 1995-96 fiscal year pursuant to the authority of Section 1315 of Title 42 of the United States Code that has as one of its objectives the obtaining of additional federal funds for health care services, the department shall notify all counties of its intent to seek a waiver. A county shall notify the department within three working days of its intent to participate in this waiver. The department shall include these counties if the necessary documentation required of the counties supports their inclusion in the waiver request. It is further the intent of the Legislature that the department seek to include as many counties as possible in this request. 10744. If the director considers a county director to be failing, in a substantial manner, to comply with any provision of this code or any regulation pertaining to the administration of health care services and medical assistance, he shall put the county director on written notice to that effect, and shall give a copy of the notice to the board of supervisors. If within 60 days the county director fails to give reasonable assurance that he is complying and will continue to comply with the laws and regulations, the director shall order the county to appear at a hearing, before him to show cause why he should not take action to secure compliance. The county shall be given at least 30 days notice of such hearing. The director shall consider the case on the record established at the hearing and, within 30 days, shall render proposed findings and a proposed decision on the issues. The proposed findings and decisions shall be submitted to the county, and the county shall have an opportunity to appear within 10 days at such time and place as may be fixed by the director for the purpose of presenting oral arguments respecting the proposed findings and decision. Thereupon, the director shall make his final findings and decision. If the director determines that there is a failure on the part of the county to comply with the provisions of this code or the established regulations, or if the State Personnel Board certifies to the director that a county is not in conformity with established merit system standards under Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 19800) of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and that administrative sanctions are necessary to secure compliance, the director may invoke any of the following sanctions: (a) Withhold part or all of state and federal funds from such county until the county shall make a showing to the director of compliance; or (b) Assume, temporarily, direct responsibility for the administration of any or all state-aided health care services and medical assistance programs in such county until the county shall provide reasonable assurance to the director of its intention and ability to comply with such laws and regulations. During such period of state administrative responsibility for county programs, the director or his authorized representative shall have all of the powers and responsibilities of the county director, with the exception that he shall not be subject to the authority of the board of supervisors; or (c) Bring an action in mandamus or such other action in court as may be appropriate to compel compliance. Any such action shall be entitled to a preference in setting a date for a hearing. Nothing in this section shall be construed as relieving the board of supervisors of the responsibility to provide funds necessary for the continued services required by law. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as preventing a county from seeking judicial review of action taken by the director pursuant to this section under Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure or, except in cases arising under Sections 10962 and 10963, from seeking injunctive relief when deemed appropriate. 10745. The department shall cause to be published and made available for sale to the public, at the cost of publishing, all of its rules and regulations relating to: (a) The government of the department. (b) Any form of health care services or medical assistance for which state aid is granted to the counties or over the administration of which the department has supervision. The department shall also provide at cost such subscription service as may be necessary to assure to purchasers of the printed rules and regulations with respect to services prompt receipt of all additions and amendments to the rules and regulations of the department. 10746. When the department causes to be published for public distribution informational pamphlets and related materials relating to public assistance programs administered or supervised by the department, they shall be printed in English and may be printed separately in Spanish, or at the discretion of the department, in English and Spanish, in such numbers as the department may determine. 10747. Copies of all laws relating to any form of public social service for which state aid is granted to counties, and over the administration of which the department has supervision, and of all bulletins and rules and regulations of the department, shall be made available to the public and for public inspection during regular office hours at each county office administering such aid and in each local or regional office of the department. 10748. The department may act as the agent or representative of or cooperate with the federal government in any matters within the scope of the functions of the department under this division, for the administration of federal funds granted to this state or for any other purpose in furtherance of those functions. Any contract or agreement entered into by the department with the federal government or any agency thereof for the expenditure of any funds in the exercise of any power granted to the department by this section shall be subject to approval by the State Department of Finance. 10749. The department may join associations of social welfare agencies having as their purpose the interchanging or supplying of information relating to the technique of social welfare administration. 10750. The functions of the department may include the administration and the supervision of the administration of health care services and medical assistance within this state as an agent of the federal government and acting as a service agency for the federal government in the field of health care services and medical assistance. 10751. The department, with the cooperation of the State Department of Social Services and the Employment Development Department, shall develop a homemaker and home health aid training and employment program for recipients under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program for purposes of applying for any available federal funds. The departments shall undertake the program development only if federal legislation making federal funds available is enacted, and upon receiving federal funds, the department shall carry out the program by establishing demonstration projects. The Employment Development Department shall develop and supervise the training part of the program.