In-home supportive services: licensed health care professional certification.

Assembly Member Nguyen's amendments to California's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program refine the certification process for paramedical services by establishing clearer standards for licensed health care professionals who authorize these services. The legislation modifies existing requirements for paramedical services, which include medication administration, medical device insertion, and sterile procedures for individuals unable to perform these tasks independently due to functional limitations.

The bill expands the definition of licensed health care professionals authorized to certify IHSS services, specifically including physicians, surgeons, physician assistants, podiatrists, dentists, and nurse practitioners acting within their scope of practice. These professionals must now have primary responsibilities in diagnosing or providing treatment for physical or mental impairments that affect an individual's functional capabilities. The certification must verify that recipients cannot perform certain daily activities independently and would risk out-of-home placement without assistance.

While certification generally precedes service authorization, the bill maintains exceptions for hospital or nursing facility discharges and cases where counties determine an immediate risk of out-of-home placement. The Department of Health Care Services must develop a standardized certification form for use across all counties, though the form cannot require professionals to certify need for individual services. Licensed health care professionals are prohibited from charging fees for completing these certifications, and Medi-Cal managed care plans must assess their recipients who apply for IHSS services.