(a) A residential care facility for the elderly shall not prohibit the formation of a family council. When requested by a member of the resident’s family or the resident representative, a family council shall be allowed to meet in a common meeting room of the facility during mutually agreed upon hours.

(b) Facility policies on family councils shall in no way limit the right of residents and participants in a family council to meet independently with outside persons, including members of nonprofit or government organizations or with facility personnel during nonworking hours.

(c) “Family council” for the purpose of this section means a meeting of family members, friends, representatives, or agents as defined in Section 14110.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code of two or more residents to confer in private without facility staff.

(d) Family councils shall be provided adequate space on a prominent bulletin board or other posting area for the display of meeting notices, minutes, information, and newsletters.

(e) Facility personnel or visitors may attend a family council meeting only at the family council’s invitation.

(f) If a family council submits written concerns or recommendations, the facility shall respond in writing regarding any action or inaction taken in response to the concerns or recommendations within 14 calendar days.

(g) (1) If a facility has a family council, the facility shall include notice of the family council and its meetings to family members and resident representatives in routine mailings and shall inform family members and resident representatives of new and current residents who are identified on the admissions agreement during the admissions process or in the resident’s records, of the existence of the family council, the time and place of meetings of the family council, and the name of the family council representative.

(2) If a facility does not have a family council, the facility shall provide, upon admission of a new resident, written information to the resident’s family or resident representative of their right to form a family council.

(3) Upon request, and with the permission of the family council, the facility shall share the name and contact information of the designated representative of the family council with the long-term care ombudsman program.

(h) If a facility has a family council and a licensed capacity of 16 or more, the facility shall appoint a designated staff liaison who shall be responsible for providing assistance to the family council and responding to written requests that result from family council meetings.

(i) A facility shall not willfully interfere with the formation, maintenance, or promotion of a family council, or its participation in the regulatory inspection process. For the purposes of this subdivision, willful interference shall include, but shall not be limited to, discrimination or retaliation in any way against an individual as a result of his or her participation in a family council, refusal to publicize family council meetings or provide appropriate space for meetings or postings as required under this section, or failure to respond to written requests by a family council in a timely manner.

(j) A violation of this section shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 1569.40. A violation of this section shall constitute a violation of resident rights. A facility that violates this section shall be subject to a daily civil penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) until the violation is corrected. A violation shall be deemed to have been corrected on the date the facility submits documentation of the correction to the department if the correction is verified by the department.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 177, Sec. 2. (AB 1572) Effective January 1, 2015.)