Long-term care.

Existing law provides for the licensing and regulation of health facilities by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law, the Long-Term Care, Health, Safety, and Security Act of 1973, in part, requires the department to investigate complaints relating to long-term health facilities, as defined. This bill would require the department, with certain exceptions, to complete its investigation within 90 working days. The bill would require the department to assess its compliance with this requirement in prescribed annual reports to the Legislature. The bill would also require the department to apply the timeframes for investigation or inspection when a report is made by a facility of an alleged violation of applicable requirements of state or federal law or any alleged facts that might constitute a violation of those requirements. Existing law authorizes a complainant who is dissatisfied with the department's inspection or investigation to, within 5 business days, notify the director in writing of his or her request for an informal conference. This bill would change that time period from 5 business days to 15 working days. Existing law requires a miniexit conference to be held with the administrator or his or her representative upon leaving the facility at the completion of the investigation to inform him or her of the status of the investigation. This bill would, instead, require a miniexit conference to be held upon leaving the facility and at the completion of the investigation.