(a) The protection and advocacy agency, for purposes of this division, shall be a private nonprofit corporation and shall meet all of the requirements of federal law applicable to protection and advocacy systems, including, but not limited to, the requirement that it establish a grievance procedure for clients or prospective clients of the system to ensure that people with disabilities have full access to services of the system.

(b) State officers and employees, in taking any action relating to the protection and advocacy agency, shall meet the requirements of federal law applicable to protection and advocacy systems.

(c) The authority of the protection and advocacy agency set forth in this division shall not diminish the authority of the protection and advocacy agency under federal statutes pertaining to the authority of protection and advocacy systems, or under federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation of those statutes.

(d) Nothing in this division shall be construed to supplant the jurisdiction or the responsibilities of adult protective services programs pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 15600), or Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750), of Part 3 of Division 9.

(e) (1) Nothing in this division shall be construed to supplant the duties or authority of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 9700) of Division 8.5.

(2) The protection and advocacy agency shall cooperate with the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman when appropriate, as provided in Section 9717.

(f) (1) Nothing in this division shall be construed to alter or impact the Elder and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 15600), or Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750), of Part 3 of Division 9, including the confidentiality requirements of Section 15633 and the legal responsibility of the protection and advocacy agency to report elder or dependent adult abuse or neglect as required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 15630.

(2) The adult protective services agency shall retain the responsibility to investigate any report of abuse or neglect in accordance with Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 15750) of Part 3 of Division 9 when the reported abuse or neglect is within the jurisdiction of the adult protective services agency.

(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 878, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2004.)