Section 12301.21.

(a) The department shall, in consultation and coordination with the county welfare departments and in accordance with Section 12305.72, develop for statewide use a standard form on which to obtain certification by a physician or other appropriate medical professional as determined by the department of a person's need for protective supervision.

(b) At the time of an initial assessment at which a recipient's potential need for protective supervision has been identified, the county shall request that a person requesting protective supervision submit the certification to the county. The county shall use the certification in conjunction with other pertinent information to assess the person's need for protective supervision. The certification submitted by the person shall be considered as one indicator of the need for protective supervision, but shall not be determinative. In the event that the person fails to submit the certification, the county shall make its determination of need based upon other available evidence.

(c) At the time of reassessment of a person receiving authorized protective supervision, the county shall determine the need to obtain a new certification. The county may request another certification from a recipient if determined necessary. The county shall document the basis for its determination in the recipient's case file.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, until emergency regulations are filed with the Secretary of State, the department may implement this section through all-county letters or similar instructions from the director. The department shall adopt emergency regulations implementing this chapter no later than September 30, 2005, unless notification of a delay is made to the Chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee prior to that date. The notification shall include the reason for the delay, the current status of the emergency regulations, a date by which the emergency regulations shall be adopted, and a statement of need to continue use of all-county letters or similar instructions. Under no circumstances shall the adoption of emergency regulations be delayed, or the use of all-county letters or similar instructions be extended, beyond June 30, 2006.

(2) The adoption of regulations implementing this section shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. The emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be exempt from review by the Office of Administrative Law. The emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days by which time final regulations shall be promulgated. The department shall seek input from the entities listed in Section 12305.72 when developing all-county letters or similar instructions and the regulations.

(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 229, Sec. 44. Effective August 16, 2004.)