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AB-2320 Reproductive health care pilot program.(2021-2022)

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Date Published: 08/30/2022 04:00 AM
AB2320:v94#DOCUMENT

Enrolled  August 29, 2022
Passed  IN  Senate  August 25, 2022
Passed  IN  Assembly  August 25, 2022
Amended  IN  Senate  August 11, 2022
Amended  IN  Senate  June 21, 2022
Amended  IN  Senate  June 08, 2022
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 18, 2022

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2320


Introduced by Assembly Member Cristina Garcia
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Gipson)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bennett, Berman, Haney, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, and Santiago)
(Coauthor: Senator Wiener)

February 16, 2022


An act to add the heading of Part 3.5 (commencing with Section 124350) to, and to add and repeal Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 124350) of Part 3.5 of, Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2320, Cristina Garcia. Reproductive health care pilot program.
Existing law establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency, which includes the State Department of Public Health, among other state departments, and is charged with the administration of health, social, and other human services.
This bill, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes and until January 1, 2028, would require the agency, or an entity designated by the agency, to establish and administer a pilot program to direct funds to primary care clinics that provide reproductive health care services in 5 counties. The bill would require a participating primary care clinic to implement at least one of a number of specified activities to improve health care delivery for marginalized patients, and to annually report to the agency over 2 years regarding its efforts and progress with those activities. The bill would require the agency to report to the Legislature on the program on or before June 1, 2026.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The heading of Part 3.5 (commencing with Section 124350) is added to Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

PART 3.5. Reproductive Health Care

SEC. 2.

 Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 124350) is added to Part 3.5 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:
CHAPTER  1. Reproductive Health Care Pilot Program

124350.
 (a) Subject to an appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes, the California Health and Human Services Agency, or an entity designated by the agency, shall establish and administer a pilot program to direct funds to primary care clinics licensed pursuant to Section 1204 that provide reproductive health care services in five counties that agree to participate.
(b) The agency shall select one county each to represent the rural north, urban north, central, rural south, and urban south regions of the state. To select each county, the agency shall consider the number of primary care clinics in the county, the average income of county residents, the languages spoken by county residents, and the likelihood that nonresidents will be traveling to the county for reproductive health care services.
(c) The agency shall establish initial and ongoing metrics to measure progress and efficiency, and remedies in case those metrics are not met, and shall include those metrics and remedies in any contract entered into pursuant to this section.
(d) On or before June 1, 2026, the agency shall report to the Legislature on the pilot program. The report shall include evaluation metrics assessing the efficacy of program activities, and shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

124351.
 (a) A primary care clinic that provides reproductive health care services, including, but not limited to, comprehensive family planning services, such as the provision of hormonal and nonhormonal contraceptive services, prenatal and postpartum care, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and primary care, and that operates in a participating county may apply to the agency in a form and manner as determined by the agency.
(b) A primary care clinic’s application shall include a report on the clinic’s service of historically marginalized patients, spoken language translation services, and partnerships with other local centers.
(c) Participating primary care clinics shall outline program activities based on agency recommendations and community needs.
(d) Primary care clinics shall be selected for participation on or before September 1, 2023.

124352.
 (a) A participating primary care clinic shall implement at least one of the following to improve health care delivery for marginalized patients:
(1) Implement staff trainings on reproductive justice principles and trauma-informed care, with a focus on serving historically marginalized patients, including people of color, people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, people who have low English proficiency, and survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Staff training shall be administered to all clinicians and clinic staff, including those providing direct patient care and administrative support, with both broad and department-specific components. Trainings shall include components of sustainability to ensure continuity with staff turnover and ongoing skill building.
(2) Improve spoken and written language translation services for non-English speakers, including services for nonthreshold languages. “Nonthreshold languages” means languages outside of what is identified as the patient’s primary language, as indicated on the Medi-Cal Eligibility Data System (MEDS), pursuant to Section 1810.410(a)(3) of Title 9 of the California Code of Regulations. Translation service project activities shall expand on current state-mandated services, with a focus on creative solutions to close gaps in language translation and interpreter access, including, but not limited to, bilingual staff differential pay, expanding telemedicine services, and stipends to community interpreters.
(3) Build sustainable partnerships with local centers, including, but not limited to, domestic violence centers and homeless shelters, to strengthen wraparound care for patients who are impacted by health disparities and inequities, such as houselessness, gender-based violence, poverty, economic instability, and poor access to nutritious foods.
(b) On or before December 1, 2024, and on or before December 1, 2025, a participating primary care clinic shall submit an annual report to the agency detailing the clinic’s efforts and progress with the activities required pursuant to subdivision (a).

124353.
 This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed.