(a)  An adult community care facility may permit incidental medical services to be provided through a home health agency licensed pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 1725) when all of the following conditions are met:

(1)  The facility, in the judgment of the department, has the ability to provide the supporting care and supervision appropriate to meet the needs of the client receiving care from a home health agency.

(2)  The home health agency has been advised of the regulations pertaining to adult community care facilities and the requirements related to incidental medical services being provided in the facility.

(3)  There is evidence of an agreed-upon protocol between the home health agency and the adult community care facility. The protocol shall address areas of responsibility of the home health agency and the adult community care facility and the need for communication and the sharing of client information related to the home health care plan. Client information may be shared between the home health agency and the adult community care facility relative to the client’s medical condition and the care and treatment provided to the client by the home health agency, including, but not limited to, medical information defined by the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the Civil Code.

(4)  There is ongoing communication between the home health agency and the adult community care facility about the services provided to the client by the home health agency and the frequency and duration of care to be provided.

(b)  Nothing in this section is intended to expand the scope of care and supervision for an adult community care facility, as prescribed by this chapter.

(c)  Nothing in this section shall require any care or supervision to be provided by the adult community care facility beyond that which is permitted in this chapter.

(d)  The department shall not be responsible for the evaluation of medical services provided to the client of the adult community care facility by the home health agency.

(e)  Any regulations, policies, or procedures related to sharing client information and development of protocols, established by the department pursuant to this section, shall be developed in consultation with the State Department of Health Services and persons representing home health agencies and adult community care facilities.

(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 831, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1999.)