Veterans: Medical Foster Home Program.

Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is responsible for administering various programs and services for the benefit of veterans. Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act, provides for the licensure of residential care facilities for the elderly, community care facilities, and residential care facilities for persons with chronic, life-threatening illness by the State Department of Social Services. This bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to establish a program, no sooner than July 1, 2024, to issue licenses to medical foster homes for veterans. The bill would require a medical foster home for veterans, as defined, established pursuant to this program to meet specified requirements and would prohibit a person from operating, establishing, managing, conducting, or maintaining a medical foster home for veterans without a license. To apply for a license, the bill would require a person to submit an application that includes, among other things, evidence of the applicant's ability to comply with statutory requirements and other information the department may require. The bill would require the department to charge an application fee of $88, review applications within a specified timeframe, and conduct a prelicensure inspection, as specified. The bill also requires applicants, adults residing or regularly present in an applicant's or licensee's home, and other individuals who have contact with a client to be subject to a background check. This bill would authorize the department to deny a license if an applicant has, among other things, violated statutory requirements or engaged in acts of financial malfeasance. The bill would allow a person who is denied a license to appeal the department's decision through the defined appeals process. The bill would also permit the department to prohibit a person from being licensed or employed by a licensee and would require the department to exclude individuals from licensed facilities under certain circumstances. The bill would specify circumstances in which a license is forfeited as a matter of law, including if the licensee surrenders the license or dies. The bill would permit the department to suspend or revoke a license under certain conditions and would require the department to issue civil penalties, as specified. The bill would require revenues received by the department from payment of civil penalties to be deposited into the Technical Assistance Fund. The bill would also require the department to periodically inspect and evaluate licensees, as specified, and make preliminary reviews of complaints. This bill would require the department to adopt regulations to implement this chapter and would authorize the department, until regulations are adopted, to implement and administer the program through written directives.