(a) The department shall develop a program to establish specialized foster care homes for children with special health care needs to receive specialized in-home health care administered by the persons specified in subdivision (h) of Section 17710. The department shall limit the use of group homes and short-term residential therapeutic programs for children with special health care needs pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 17732. The program shall conform to the requirements set forth in this chapter, and shall be integrated with the foster care and child welfare services programs authorized by Article 5 (commencing with Section 11400) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 16500) of Part 4.

(b) The department, in administering the licensing program and resource family approval program, shall not evaluate or have any responsibility for the evaluation of the specialized in-home health care provided in specialized foster care homes, group homes, or short-term residential therapeutic programs.

(c) This program shall be conducted by county welfare departments in conformance with procedures established by the department in accordance with this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 732, Sec. 115. (AB 404) Effective January 1, 2018.)