(a)  The state department shall develop and adopt regulations for the licensure of, and shall license, pediatric day health and respite care facilities. The regulations shall include minimum standards for the following:

(1)  Adequacy, safety, and sanitation of the physical plant and equipment.

(2)  Staffing with duly qualified personnel.

(3)  Training of the staff.

(4)  Providing the services offered.

These regulations shall be filed with the Secretary of State no later than July 1, 1993.

(b)  The state department shall establish within the state department an advisory committee of experts to assist in the development of the regulations required pursuant to this section. A representative of the state department shall act as chairperson of the committee. The members of the committee shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed by the state department for all necessary expenses incurred in the actual performance of their duties. To the extent sufficient funds have been appropriated in the Budget Act, the state department may provide staff support to the committee as the state department deems is necessary for the conduct of the committee’s business. The committee shall meet at the state director’s pleasure until the time that the proposed regulations are presented for adoption at the public hearing.

(c)  Pending adoption of the regulations pursuant to subdivision (b), an entity may be licensed as a pediatric day health and respite care facility if it meets interim regulations administered by the state department for congregate living health facilities pursuant to Section 1267.13.

(d) (1) In addition to the exceptions from regulations described in subdivision (n) of Section 1267.13, a pediatric day health and respite care facility shall not be required to conform to the following regulations contained in Chapter 3 of Division 5 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations: 72329.1, 72353, 72359, 72363, 72365, 72371, subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 72375, subdivision (b) of Section 72377, 72516, 72525, and 72531.

(2) A pediatric day health and respite care facility shall not be required to meet the requirements of Section 72367 of Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Division 5 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, except that medications brought by or with the patient on admission to the facility shall not be used unless, after admission by the facility, the contents of the containers have been examined and positively identified by a licensed nurse, in accordance with his or her scope of practice.

(e) A pediatric day health and respite care facility shall have a patient care committee to address quality of care provided in the facility, including, but not limited to, patient care policies, pharmacy services, and infection control.

(1) The pediatric day health and respite care facility shall maintain minutes of every committee meeting and indicate the names of members present, the date, the length of the meeting, the subject matter discussed, and any action taken.

(2) The patient care committee shall include the medical director, dietician, pharmacist, nursing staff, nurse supervisor, center administrator or director, and other staff as may be required by facility policies and procedures.

(3) The patient care committee shall meet at least twice per year or more often if a need or problem is identified by the committee.

(4) The patient care committee shall be responsible for all of the following:

(A) Reviewing and approving all policies relating to patient care. Based on reports received from the pediatric day health and respite care facility’s administrator, the committee shall review the effectiveness of policy implementation and shall make recommendations to the administrator of the facility for the improvement of patient care. The committee shall review patient care policies annually and revise the policies as necessary. The committee’s minutes shall list the policies the committee reviewed.

(B) Infection control in the facility, which shall include, but not be limited to, establishing, reviewing, monitoring, and approving policies and procedures for investigating, controlling, and preventing infections in the facility, and maintaining, reviewing, and reporting statistics of the number, types, sources, and locations of infections within the pediatric day health and respite care facility.

(C) Establishing, reviewing, and monitoring the storage and administration of drugs and biologicals, reviewing and taking appropriate action based on any findings from a pharmacist hired to consult with the committee and internal quality assurance reviews, and recommending improvements of services to the administrator of the facility.

(f) (1) A pediatric day health and respite care facility shall comply with licensing requirements. The state department may, upon written request of an applicant or licensee, approve the use of alternate concepts, methods, procedures, techniques, equipment, personnel qualifications, or conducting pilot projects, provided those alternatives are carried out with safe and adequate care for the patients and with the prior written approval of the state department. The state department’s approval shall provide for the terms and conditions under which the alternatives are granted. An applicant’s or licensee’s written request shall be accompanied by substantiating evidence supporting the request pursuant to this paragraph.

(2) The state department’s review of written requests submitted under this subdivision shall consider the unique nature of services provided to individuals served by the pediatric day health and respite care facility when compared to the requirements for congregate living health facilities for individuals requiring inpatient care.

(3) If the state department grants an approval under this subdivision, a pediatric day health and respite care facility shall immediately post that approval, or a true copy of that approval, adjacent to the facility’s license.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 206, Sec. 2. (AB 1147) Effective August 13, 2015.)