(a) A rural alternative adult day health care center shall operate its programs a minimum of three days weekly, unless the program can justify, to the satisfaction of the department, fewer days of operation due to space, staff, financial, or participant reasons.

(b) Any program desiring to become a parent center and develop a satellite program may be located in an area that does not meet the population requirements of the rural service areas and need not be in the same county as a satellite. The satellite shall be located in an area that meets the population requirements of a rural service area, and shall be located within a reasonable distance of the parent center to allow sharing of administration, services, and supervision. Parent and satellite centers shall be located in the same licensing district office.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the administrator or program director of a parent center may, with the approval of the department, serve as the administrator or program director for up to three additional satellite sites.

(d) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Parent” means a licensed and certified adult day health care center that establishes one or more satellites. A satellite may be in the county of the parent or a rural service area. The parent center shall provide administration, supervision, and, with the approval of the department, may share services and staff with one or more satellite centers. The parent center’s license and certification shall cover adult day health care services at one or more satellites.

(2) “Rural alternative adult day health care center” means an adult day health care center located in a rural service area.

(3) “Rural service area” means an identified service area within one hour driving time from the center and with two or more of the following characteristics:

(A) Is more than one-half hour direct driving time from an urban area of 50,000 population or more.

(B) Has no other adult day health care center within one-half hour direct driving time.

(C) Has geographic or climatic barriers, including, but not limited to, snow, fog, ice, mountains, inadequate highways, or weather, that make transportation to another adult day health care center impractical.

(D) Is located in a county with an overall population density of less than 100 persons per square mile.

(E) Can demonstrate in the application for licensure that a shortage of qualified professionals exists in the county or identified service area.

(4) “Satellite” means an adult day health care center established in a rural service area by an existing licensed and certified adult day health care center for the purposes of extending rural adult day health care services to another location. A satellite shall be located close enough to the adult day health center so that administration, supervision, and services may be shared in a manner that does not compromise care and makes it unnecessary for the satellite to be separately licensed. Each satellite shall meet fire and life safety regulations and laws. Prior approval from the department is required before operating or opening a satellite.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 632, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2005.)