(a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that more than a quarter of Californians are foreign born, and more than 10 percent of the state’s population speaks English “not well” or “not at all.” Access to accurate, timely, understandable, and culturally sensitive and competent information and referral services for these communities is a critical need. A review of 2018-19 purchase of service expenditures reflects the following average per capita expenditures for all age groups by ethnicity, illustrating existing disparity gaps in the developmental services system:

(A) Twenty-seven thousand nine hundred thirty-one dollars ($27,931) for individuals who are White.

(B) Twenty-two thousand nine hundred fourteen dollars ($22,914) for individuals who are Black or African American.

(C) Fourteen thousand eight hundred thirty-six dollars ($14,836) for individuals who are Asian.

(D) Eleven thousand seven hundred sixty dollars ($11,760) for individuals who are Latinx or Hispanic.

(2) Language access and culturally competent services are critical components to advance health and human services equity and improve outcomes for all Californians served under the Lanterman Act.

(b) The State Department of Developmental Services shall administer an enhanced language access and cultural competency initiative for individuals with developmental disabilities, their caregivers, and their family members. The department shall require regional centers to implement this initiative through its contracts pursuant to Section 4640.6. The primary goal is to improve quality and facilitate more consistent access to information and services.

(c) Allowable uses of the funds provided to regional centers include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Identification of vital documents and internet website content for translation, as well as points of public contact in need of oral and sign language interpretation services.

(2) Orientations and specialized group and family information sessions with ample and publicized question and answer periods, scheduled at times considered most convenient for working families and in consultation with community leaders.

(3) Regular and periodic language needs assessments to determine threshold languages for document translation.

(4) Coordination and streamlining of interpretation and translation services.

(5) Implementation of quality control measures to ensure the availability, accuracy, readability, and cultural appropriateness of translations.

(d) The use of these funds shall not supplant any existing efforts or funds for similar purposes, but are intended to augment and provide maximum additional benefit to the greatest number of persons served, their caregivers, and their families.

(e) The department shall report annually, beginning January 10, 2022, as part of the Governor’s Budget and the May Revision, how these funds are being utilized and what remaining needs for language access and culturally competent services are identified by people served, the community, and regional centers as the initiative implements.

(f) Regional centers shall receive specialized funding allocations to facilitate applications for payments authorized to protect the health and safety of consumers, pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 4681.6, for non-English speaking individuals served. Funded activities shall include specialized outreach and case management services toward identifying which individuals might have an unaddressed need for a health and safety waiver and assisting with guiding individuals through the application process to meet those needs. Regional centers shall track the number of individuals served through this effort and provide this information to the department on at least an annual basis.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 85, Sec. 16. (AB 135) Effective July 16, 2021.)