Conservatorships.

Assembly Member Quirk-Silva's conservatorship legislation expands placement options for Californians under conservatorship who have major neurocognitive disorders. The measure authorizes conservators to place conservatees in residential facilities, intermediate care facilities, and skilled nursing facilities that utilize secured perimeters or delayed egress devices, broadening the current authority limited to secured residential care facilities for the elderly.

The bill establishes specific requirements for these placements, mandating court approval based on clear and convincing evidence that the conservatee has a major neurocognitive disorder, lacks capacity for informed consent, needs a restricted environment, and that the placement represents the least restrictive appropriate option. For subsequent transfers between facilities, court authorization becomes necessary if regulations have not been established for the new facility type.

By January 2027, the State Departments of Social Services and Public Health must update their regulations to address all forms of major neurocognitive disorders and create consistent standards for facilities using security measures. The departments may implement emergency regulations before this deadline. The legislation maintains existing protections regarding medication administration, religious accommodations, and annual court investigator reviews of conservatorships.