123550-123610

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTION 123550-123610




123550.  The Legislature finds and declares that prenatal care,
delivery service, postpartum care and neonatal and infant care are
essential services necessary to assure maternal and infant health.
These services are not currently distributed so as to meet the
minimum maternal and infant health needs of many Californians. A
regionalized perinatal health system can provide these essential
services; however, many underserved areas lack the staff or expertise
to develop these systems.



123555.  The department shall develop and implement a uniform
sliding fee schedule, based on family size and income, for women
provided perinatal care through the Perinatal Care Services Program.
The department shall not implement any schedule developed pursuant to
this section sooner than 30 days after the department has provided
the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the
chairperson of the fiscal committee of each house with the developed
schedule.


123560.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in
this section govern the construction of this article:
   (a) "Perinatal health system" means all of the prenatal care,
delivery care, postpartum care, and neonatal and infant care services
available to a region identified by the department pursuant to this
article.
   (b) "Regionalized perinatal health system" means coordinated
measures intended to ensure that a perinatal health system provides
at least minimum services necessary to meet the maternal and infant
health needs of the region and intended to ensure that it does so as
efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
   (c) "High-risk pregnant woman" means a woman considered highly
likely for any reason to suffer personal mortality or morbidity from
her pregnancy, or to deliver a defective, disabled, high-risk, or
stillborn infant.
   (d) "High-risk infant" means a newborn considered highly likely
for any reason to suffer personal mortality or morbidity or to suffer
long-lasting defect or disability.
   (e) "High-risk geographic area" means a region in this state in
which the proportion of high-risk pregnant women or high-risk infants
exceeds the average for the population of California as a whole.
   (f) "High-risk population" means a demographic group in which the
proportion of high-risk women or high-risk infants exceeds the
average for the population of California as a whole.



123565.  The department shall maintain a program that addresses the
special needs of high-risk pregnant women and infants. The program
shall include the following:
   (a) Identification of high-risk geographical areas and
populations.
   (b) Identification and evaluation of deficiencies in perinatal
health systems.
   (c) Assistance in the development of regionalized perinatal health
systems, particularly in underserved areas, to meet unmet needs.
   (d) Assistance in implementing regionalized perinatal health
systems.
   (e) Collection and analyses of data on perinatal health systems
and needs.
   (f) Monitoring of results.
   (g) Assist in implementing and maintaining a high-risk infant
follow-up program.


123570.  (a) In assisting in the development of the regionalized
perinatal health systems, the department shall consult with the
office, the State Department of Developmental Services, county health
officials, health systems agencies, health professionals and health
facilities expected to participate in the systems, and community
groups.
   (b) In carrying out this article, the department shall coordinate
the regionalized perinatal health systems with all other maternal and
infant health programs conducted by or for the department, the
office, the State Department of Developmental Services, and all other
state agencies, to ensure full regional coordination.



123575.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the program
created by Sections 123550 to 123570, inclusive, be funded through
the normal budgetary process beginning in the 1980-81 fiscal year.



123600.  By July 1, 1991, the Health and Welfare Agency shall
develop and disseminate a model needs assessment protocol for
pregnant and postpartum substance abusing women in conjunction with
the appropriate professional organizations in the areas of hospital
administration, substance abuse prevention and treatment, social
services, public health, and appropriate state agencies, including
the State Department of Social Services, the department, the State
Department of Developmental Services, and the State Department of
Alcohol and Drug Programs. This model may be utilized by hospitals
and counties pursuant to Section 123605.


123605.  (a) Each county shall establish protocols between county
health departments, county welfare departments, and all public and
private hospitals in the county, regarding the application and use of
an assessment of the needs of, and a referral for, a substance
exposed infant to a county welfare department pursuant to Section
11165.13 of the Penal Code.
   (b) The assessment of the needs shall be performed by a health
practitioner, as defined in Section 11165.8 of the Penal Code, or a
medical social worker. The needs assessment shall be performed before
the infant is released from the hospital.
   (c) The purpose of the assessment of the needs is to do all of the
following:
   (1) Identify needed services for the mother, child, or family,
including, where applicable, services to assist the mother caring for
her child and services to assist maintaining children in their
homes.
   (2) Determine the level of risk to the newborn upon release to the
home and the corresponding level of services and intervention, if
any, necessary to protect the newborn's health and safety, including
a referral to the county welfare department for child welfare
services.
   (3) Gather data for information and planning purposes.



123610.  It is the intent of the Legislature that funding for
Sections 123600 and 123605 be provided in the annual Budget Act.