101525-101530

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTION 101525-101530




101525.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares that it is necessary
that a special authority be established in Sonoma County in order to
meet the problems of the delivery of publicly assisted and indigent
dental health care in the county. Because there is no general law
under which this authority could be formed, the adoption of a special
act and the formation of a special authority is required.
   (b) The Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County may, by ordinance,
establish the Sonoma County Dental Health Authority to receive state
funds and technical assistance for the purpose of managing a dental
health care delivery program for indigent persons and Medi-Cal
recipients covered under the Denti-Cal program. The enabling
ordinance shall specify the membership of the authority, the
qualifications of members, the manner of appointment, selection, or
removal of members, and their term of office, and any other matters
that the board of supervisors deems necessary or convenient for the
conduct of the authority's activities. The authority so established
shall be considered an entity separate from the county, shall file
the statement required by Section 53051 of the Government Code, and
shall have the rights, powers, duties, privileges conferred by this
chapter, the power to acquire, possess, and dispose of real or
personal property, as may be necessary for the performance of its
functions, to employ personnel and contract for services required to
meet its obligations, and to sue or be sued. Any obligations of the
authority, statutory, contractual, or otherwise, shall be the
obligations solely of the authority and shall not be the obligations
of the county or of the state unless expressly provided for in a
contract or grant agreement between the authority and the county or
the state.
   (c) The authority shall bill the Medi-Cal program for services
provided to Medi-Cal recipients.
   (d) In the event the authority no longer functions for the
purposes for which it was established, the board of supervisors may,
by ordinance, terminate the authority at that time as the authority's
then existing obligations have been satisfied or the authority's
assets have been exhausted. Prior to the termination of the
authority, the board of supervisors shall notify the department of
its intent to terminate the authority and shall provide the
department with an accounting of the assets and liabilities of the
authority.
   (e) Any assets of the authority shall be disposed of pursuant to
provisions contained in the grant agreement entered into between the
state and the authority pursuant to this chapter.
   (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the department
may not enter into any arrangement with the authority to provide
case management or fiscal intermediary services for dental health
care provided to Medi-Cal recipients.



101530.  (a) The department shall allocate any funds appropriated
for that purpose to the Sonoma County Dental Health Authority for the
provision of dental care and dental hygiene services for Medi-Cal to
recipients covered under the Denti-Cal program, and for indigent
persons in Sonoma County.
   (b) The department shall permit the Sonoma County Dental Health
Authority to impose a fee upon any indigent persons served by the
program, commensurate with their ability to pay. An additional fee
shall not be imposed upon Medi-Cal recipients for services covered by
that program.