Article 4. Perinatal Health Care of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 106. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 4.

The Legislature finds and declares that prenatal care, delivery service, postpartum care and neonatal and infant care are essential services necessary to assure maternal and infant health. These services are not currently distributed so as to meet the minimum maternal and infant health needs of many Californians. A regionalized perinatal health system can provide these essential services; however, many underserved areas lack the staff or expertise to develop these systems.

The department shall develop and implement a uniform sliding fee schedule, based on family size and income, for women provided perinatal care through the Perinatal Care Services Program. The department shall not implement any schedule developed pursuant to this section sooner than 30 days after the department has provided the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the chairperson of the fiscal committee of each house with the developed schedule.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this section govern the construction of this article:
  (a) "Perinatal health system" means all of the prenatal care, delivery care, postpartum care, and neonatal and infant care services available to a region identified by the department pursuant to this article.
  (b) "Regionalized perinatal health system" means coordinated measures intended to ensure that a perinatal health system provides at least minimum services necessary to meet the maternal and infant health needs of the region and intended to ensure that it does so as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
  (c) "High-risk pregnant woman" means a woman considered highly likely for any reason to suffer personal mortality or morbidity from her pregnancy, or to deliver a defective, disabled, high-risk, or stillborn infant.
  (d) "High-risk infant" means a newborn considered highly likely for any reason to suffer personal mortality or morbidity or to suffer long-lasting defect or disability.
  (e) "High-risk geographic area" means a region in this state in which the proportion of high-risk pregnant women or high-risk infants exceeds the average for the population of California as a whole.
  (f) "High-risk population" means a demographic group in which the proportion of high-risk women or high-risk infants exceeds the average for the population of California as a whole.

The department shall maintain a program that addresses the special needs of high-risk pregnant women and infants. The program shall include the following:
  (a) Identification of high-risk geographical areas and populations.
  (b) Identification and evaluation of deficiencies in perinatal health systems.
  (c) Assistance in the development of regionalized perinatal health systems, particularly in underserved areas, to meet unmet needs.
  (d) Assistance in implementing regionalized perinatal health systems.
  (e) Collection and analyses of data on perinatal health systems and needs.
  (f) Monitoring of results.
  (g) Assist in implementing and maintaining a high-risk infant follow-up program.

(a) In assisting in the development of the regionalized perinatal health systems, the department shall consult with the office, the State Department of Developmental Services, county health officials, health systems agencies, health professionals and health facilities expected to participate in the systems, and community groups.
  (b) In carrying out this article, the department shall coordinate the regionalized perinatal health systems with all other maternal and infant health programs conducted by or for the department, the office, the State Department of Developmental Services, and all other state agencies, to ensure full regional coordination.

It is the intent of the Legislature that the program created by Sections 123550 to 123570, inclusive, be funded through the normal budgetary process beginning in the 1980-81 fiscal year.

By July 1, 1991, the Health and Welfare Agency shall develop and disseminate a model needs assessment protocol for pregnant and postpartum substance abusing women in conjunction with the appropriate professional organizations in the areas of hospital administration, substance abuse prevention and treatment, social services, public health, and appropriate state agencies, including the State Department of Social Services, the department, the State Department of Developmental Services, and the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. This model may be utilized by hospitals and counties pursuant to Section 123605.

(a) Each county shall establish protocols between county health departments, county welfare departments, and all public and private hospitals in the county, regarding the application and use of an assessment of the needs of, and a referral for, a substance exposed infant to a county welfare department pursuant to Section 11165.13 of the Penal Code.
  (b) The assessment of the needs shall be performed by a health practitioner, as defined in Section 11165.8 of the Penal Code, or a medical social worker. The needs assessment shall be performed before the infant is released from the hospital.
  (c) The purpose of the assessment of the needs is to do all of the following:
  (1) Identify needed services for the mother, child, or family, including, where applicable, services to assist the mother caring for her child and services to assist maintaining children in their homes.
  (2) Determine the level of risk to the newborn upon release to the home and the corresponding level of services and intervention, if any, necessary to protect the newborn's health and safety, including a referral to the county welfare department for child welfare services.
  (3) Gather data for information and planning purposes.

It is the intent of the Legislature that funding for Sections 123600 and 123605 be provided in the annual Budget Act.