12301.2. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 229, Sec. 43.)

(a) (1) The department, in consultation and coordination with county welfare departments and in accordance with Section 12305.72, shall establish and implement statewide hourly task guidelines and instructions to provide counties with a standard tool for consistently and accurately assessing service needs and authorizing service hours to meet those needs.

(2) The guidelines shall specify a range of time normally required for each supportive service task necessary to ensure the health, safety, and independence of the recipient. The guidelines shall also provide criteria to assist county workers to determine when an individual’s service need falls outside the range of time provided in the guidelines.

(3) In establishing the guidelines the department shall consider, among other factors, adherence to universal precautions, existing utilization patterns and outcomes associated with different levels of utilization, and the need to avoid cost shifting to other government program services. During the development of the guidelines the department may seek advice from health professionals such as public health nurses or physical or occupational therapists.