In-home supportive services: County of Contra Costa: innovative technologies.

Existing law establishes the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, administered by the State Department of Social Services and counties, under which qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons are provided with services in order to permit them to remain in their own homes. Existing federal law, the Community First Choice Option (CFCO) program, authorizes states to provide home- and community-based attendant services and supports to eligible Medicaid enrollees, as specified. Existing federal law provides federal financial participation for a state that provides services under the CFCO program. Existing law requires, beginning July 1, 2026, a county to pay a 100% share of the enhanced federal financial participation that would have been received if the state ceases to receive that funding for the provision of services due to noncompliance of timely case reassessment for the CFCO program. Existing law requires, for the 2025–26 fiscal year, the state and county to each pay 50% of the amount of that lost enhanced federal financial participation. This bill would require the department to develop and make available a 5-year pilot project for the County of Contra Costa, to be implemented at the election of the county, for the purpose of improving IHSS eligibility and processing times through the use of innovative technologies. Under the bill, the project would be designed with a focus on decreasing IHSS application processing times for recipients participating in the CFCO program. The bill would require the county to post annual reports on project progress and outcomes. The bill would continuously appropriate moneys from the General Fund to the county for the purpose of project implementation, in an amount equivalent to the amount that the county pays as described above for the lost enhanced federal financial participation. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Contra Costa.