(a) There shall be established a Long-Term Care Planning Committee for the purpose of exchanging information on long-term care issues, coordinating policy development and establishing a long-term care plan for all persons in need of long-term care. Such policy and plan shall provide that individuals with long-term care needs have the option to choose and receive long-term care and support in the least restrictive, appropriate setting. Such plan shall integrate the three components of a long-term care system including home and community-based services, supportive housing arrangements and nursing facilities. Such plan shall include: (1) A vision and mission statement for a long-term care system; (2) the current number of persons receiving services; (3) the current number of persons receiving long-term care supports and services in the community and the number receiving such supports and services in institutions; (4) demographic data concerning such persons by service type; (5) the current aggregate cost of such system of services; (6) forecasts of future demand for services; (7) the type of services available and the amount of funds necessary to meet the demand; (8) projected costs for programs associated with such system; (9) strategies to promote the partnership for long-term care program; (10) resources necessary to accomplish goals for the future; (11) funding sources available; and (12) the number and types of providers needed to deliver services. The plan shall address how changes in one component of such long-term care system impact other components of such system.

(b) The Long-Term Care Planning Committee shall, within available appropriations, study issues relative to long-term care including, but not limited to, the case-mix system of Medicaid reimbursement, community-based service options, access to long-term care and geriatric psychiatric services. The committee shall evaluate issues relative to long-term care in light of the United States Supreme Court decision, Olmstead v. L.C., 119 S. Ct. 2176 (1999), requiring states to place persons with disabilities in community settings rather than in institutions when such placement is appropriate, the transfer to a less restrictive setting is not opposed by such persons and such placement can be reasonably accommodated. The committee, within available appropriations, shall evaluate available data on the average net actual Medicaid expenditures for nursing homes, in comparison to average net actual Medicaid expenditures for home and community-based services waiver participants who require a nursing home level of care, including the number of individuals served, to assist in short-term and long-term Medicaid expenditure forecasting.

(c) The Long-Term Care Planning Committee shall consist of: (1) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services, public health, elderly services and long-term care; (2) the Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner’s designee; (3) one member of the Office of Policy and Management appointed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management; (4) one member from the Department of Public Health appointed by the Commissioner of Public Health; (5) one member from the Department of Housing appointed by the Commissioner of Housing; (6) one member from the Department of Developmental Services appointed by the Commissioner of Developmental Services; (7) one member from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services appointed by the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services; (8) one member from the Department of Transportation appointed by the Commissioner of Transportation; (9) one member from the Department of Children and Families appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families; (10) one member from the Health Systems Planning Unit of the Office of Health Strategy appointed by the executive director of the Office of Health Strategy; and (11) one member from the Department of Aging and Disability Services appointed by the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services. The committee shall convene no later than ninety days after June 4, 1998. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. The chairperson shall be elected from among the members of the committee. The committee shall seek the advice and participation of any person, organization or state or federal agency it deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(d) Not later than January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, the Long-Term Care Planning Committee shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to aging and human services on the number of persons receiving (1) long-term care supports and services in the community; and (2) long-term care supports and services in institutions.

(e) Not later than January 1, 1999, and every three years thereafter, the Long-Term Care Planning Committee shall submit a long-term care plan pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services, public health, elderly services and long-term care, in accordance with the provisions of § 11-4a, and such plan shall serve as a guide for the actions of state agencies in developing and modifying programs that serve persons in need of long-term care.

(f) Any state agency, when developing or modifying any program that, in whole or in part, provides assistance or support to persons with long-term care needs, shall, to the maximum extent feasible, include provisions that support care-giving provided by family members and other informal caregivers and promote consumer-directed care.