Medi-Cal Children's Health Advisory Panel.

Existing law requires the state to implement and administer various child health and disease prevention programs. Existing law establishes the Healthy Families Advisory Board, a 15-member advisory panel appointed by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board. Existing law provides for the transition of children from the Healthy Families Program to Medi-Cal, including the transfer of the Healthy Families Advisory Board to the State Department of Health Care Services. This bill would repeal the Healthy Families Advisory Board and instead rename and recast the board as the Medi-Cal Children's Health Advisory Panel, an independent, statewide advisory body composed of 15 members charged with advising the State Department of Health Care Services on matters relevant to all children enrolled in Medi-Cal and their families, as specified. The bill would require that panel members, except as otherwise specified, be appointed by the department. The bill would specify the powers and duties of the panel and the department in this regard and would require that the department submit, on or before January 1, 2018, a report to the Legislature on the advisory panel's accomplishments, effectiveness, efficiency, and any recommendations for statutory changes needed to improve the ability of the advisory panel to fulfill its purpose.