In-home supportive services: licensed health care professional certification.

Assembly Member Nguyen's proposal to modify California's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program expands the definition of licensed health care professionals who can certify recipients' needs while standardizing the certification process across counties. The legislation amends existing law by redefining "licensed health care professional" to align with the Business and Professions Code's definition of health care practitioners, encompassing all persons engaged in licensed or regulated health care activities.

The bill establishes new parameters for the certification process required for IHSS recipients to obtain paramedical services. Counties must implement standardized certification forms developed by the department in consultation with stakeholders. Alternative documentation, such as hospital discharge plans or nursing facility records, may satisfy certification requirements. The legislation maintains existing provisions allowing temporary service authorization when individuals face imminent hospital discharge or risk of out-of-home placement.

To ensure accessibility, the department must provide multilingual notification letters explaining certification requirements to recipients. Current IHSS recipients retain services until their first reassessment following the bill's implementation, with a 45-day window to submit updated certification. The legislation prohibits health care professionals from charging fees for completing certification forms and requires Medi-Cal managed care plans to assess their members who apply for or receive IHSS services.