Section 1417.4 Of Chapter 2.4. Quality Of Long-term Health Facilities From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 2.4.
1417.4
. (a) There is hereby established in the state department the
Quality Awards Program for nursing homes.
(b) The department shall establish criteria under the program,
after consultation with stakeholder groups, for recognizing all
skilled nursing facilities that provide exemplary care to residents.
(c) (1) Monetary awards shall be made to Quality Awards Program
recipients that serve high proportions of Medi-Cal residents to the
extent funds are appropriated each year in the annual Budget Act.
(2) Monetary awards presented under this section and paid for by
funds appropriated from the General Fund shall be used for staff
bonuses and distributed in accordance with criteria established by
the department.
(3) Monetary awards presented under this section and paid for from
funds from the Federal Citation Penalty Account shall be used to
fund innovative facility grants to improve the quality of care and
quality of life for residents in skilled nursing facilities, or to
fund innovative efforts to increase employee recruitment, or
retention, or both, subject to federal approval.
(d) The department shall establish criteria for selecting
facilities to receive the quality awards, in consultation with senior
advocacy organizations, employee labor organizations representing
facility employees, nursing home industry representatives, and other
interested parties as deemed appropriate by the department. The
criteria established pursuant to this subdivision shall not be
considered regulations within the meaning of Section 11342 of the
Government Code, and shall not be subject to adoption as regulations
pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of
Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(e) The department shall publish an annual listing of the Quality
Awards Program recipients with the dollar amount awarded, if
applicable. The department shall also publish an annual listing of
the Quality Awards Program recipients that receive innovative
facility grants with the purpose of the grant and the grant amount.
(f) All of the funds available for the programs described in this
section shall be disbursed to qualified facilities by January 1,
2002, and January 1 of each year thereafter.