(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide more statewide uniformity and consistency and promote equity in the administrative practices and services of regional centers, consistent with the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500)), as specified in this section. (b) (1) No later than June 30, 2024, the department shall establish common data definitions that shall be used to promote service access and equity in all regional center services and programs. No later than January 1, 2025, regional centers shall start recording the race and ethnicity and preferred language identified by each individual, subject to paragraph (4), at the time of initial intake, assessment, and the individual program plan meeting following the individualâs 18th birthday. Individuals have the right to update their demographic information at any time. (2) The categories for race and ethnicity shall be based on the latest categories adopted by the United States Core Data for Interoperability set forth by the United States Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. (3) âPreferred languageâ means the language chosen by the applicant or individual, or, when appropriate, the individualâs parent, legal guardian or conservator, or authorized representative. (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to compel an individual, their parent, their legal guardian or conservator, or their authorized representative to provide requested information regarding the race, ethnicity, or preferred language of any of those persons. (5) The data requirements described in this subdivision shall be integrated with the departmentâs new case management system. (c) (1) No later than June 30, 2025, the department shall establish standardized processes, including standardized templates, for assessing a consumerâs need for respite services. Regional centers shall implement these standardized processes no later than January 1, 2026. (2) The processes shall include a requirement that the regional center obtain information about respite needs from family members and, when appropriate, from other caregivers. The information obtained from these standardized processes shall be considered by the individualâs individual program planning team. (3) Regional centers shall make any modifications to their purchase-of-service policies as necessary for implementation of this subdivision. (d) No later than June 30, 2024, the department shall establish a standardized individual program plan template and standardized procedures, including frequency of meetings, that are consistent with person-centered services planning requirements. The template shall be integrated with the departmentâs new case management system. Regional centers shall implement the standardized individual program plan template and procedures no later than January 1, 2025. (e) No later than June 30, 2025, the department shall establish standardized vendorization procedures. These procedures may include, but are not limited to, standardized vendorization forms and requirements to streamline vendorization elements, including when services are provided through more than one regional center. Regional centers shall implement these standardized vendorization procedures and provide updated vendor lists to the department on a quarterly basis no later than January 1, 2026. (f) (1) No later than January 1, 2025, the department shall establish a standardized intake process consistent with the requirements and timelines specified in Section 4642. (2) No later than June 30, 2025, and to the extent allowed by current data systems, regional centers shall report to the department, quarterly as described in paragraph (4), the number of assessments and the length of time that it took to determine eligibility. (3) The department shall include all of the following information in its new case management system: (A) The number of individuals for whom
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