(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) The State of California accepts its responsibility to ensure and uphold the rights of persons with developmental disabilities and an obligation to ensure that laws, regulations, and policies on the rights of persons with developmental disabilities are observed and protected.

(2) Persons with developmental disabilities are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and deprivations of their rights.

(3) Clients’ rights advocacy services provided by the regional centers, the advocacy services currently provided by the department at the state developmental centers, and the services provided by the department’s Office of Human Rights may have conflicts of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.

(4) The services provided to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families are of such a special and unique nature that they cannot satisfactorily be provided by state agencies or regional centers and must be contracted out pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 19130 of the Government Code.

(b) (1) To avoid the potential for a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, beginning January 1, 1998, the department shall contract for clients’ rights advocacy services. The department shall solicit a single statewide contract with a nonprofit agency that results in at least three responsive bids that meet all of the criteria specified in paragraph (2) to perform the services specified in subdivision (d). If three responsive bids are not received, the department may rebid the contract on a regional basis, not to exceed three regional contracts and one contract for developmental centers and headquarters.

(2) Any contractor selected shall meet the following requirements:

(A) The contractor can demonstrate the capability to provide statewide advocacy services to individuals with developmental disabilities living in developmental centers and in the community.

(B) The contractor does not directly or indirectly provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities, except advocacy services.

(C) The contractor has knowledge of the service system, entitlements, and service rights of persons receiving services from regional centers and in state hospitals.

(D) The contractor can demonstrate the capability of coordinating services with the protection and advocacy agency specified in Division 4.7 (commencing with Section 4900).

(E) The contractor has not provided any services, except advocacy services, to, or been employed by, any regional center or the Association of Regional Center Agencies during the two-year period prior to the effective date of the contract.

(c) For the purposes of this section, the Legislature further finds and declares that because of a potential conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, the goals and purposes of the regional center clients’ rights advocacy services, the state hospitals, and the services of the Office of Human Rights, cannot be accomplished through the utilization of persons selected pursuant to the regular civil service system, nor can the services be provided through the department’s contracts with regional centers. Accordingly, contracts into which the department enters pursuant to this section are permitted and authorized by paragraphs (3) and (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 19130 of the Government Code.

(d) The contractor shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide clients’ rights advocacy services to persons with developmental disabilities who are consumers of regional centers and to individuals who reside in the state developmental centers and hospitals, including ensuring the rights of persons with developmental disabilities, and assisting persons with developmental disabilities in pursuing administrative and legal remedies.

(2) Investigate and take action as appropriate and necessary to resolve complaints from or concerning persons with developmental disabilities residing in licensed health and community care facilities regarding abuse, and unreasonable denial, or punitive withholding, of rights guaranteed under this division.

(3) Provide consultation, technical assistance, supervision and training, and support services for clients’ rights advocates that were previously the responsibility of the Office of Human Rights.

(4) Coordinate the provision of clients’ rights advocacy services in consultation with the department, stakeholder organizations, and persons with developmental disabilities and their families representing California’s multicultural diversity.

(5) Provide at least two self-advocacy trainings for consumers and family members.

(e) In order to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities have access to high quality advocacy services, the contractor shall establish a grievance procedure and shall advise persons receiving services under the contract of the availability of other advocacy services, including the services provided by the protection and advocacy agency specified in Division 4.7 (commencing with Section 4900).

(f) The department shall contract on a multiyear basis for a contract term of up to five years, subject to the annual appropriation of funds by the Legislature.

(g) This section shall not prohibit the department and the regional centers from advocating for the rights, including the right to generic services, of persons with developmental disabilities.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 409, Sec. 1. (AB 1595) Effective January 1, 2015.)