SECTIONS 124875-124890 - California Statutes

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

SECTION 124875-124890

124875. The Legislature finds and declares that:
(a) In California there are approximately 300 community clinics
and free clinics that provide primary health care at low cost for a
significant portion of the medically underserved population.
(b) These clinics account for more than 3,000,000 patient visits
annually.
(c) Increasingly large caseloads, the debilitating effects of
inflation on purchased goods and services, and a lack of financial
resources are forcing many community and free clinics to curtail
services needed in their communities.
(d) Recognizing the contribution of community and free clinics to
the health care of Californians and the contribution of the clinics
to lowering the costs of health care, it is in the interest of the
people of this state to ensure continuation of clinic programs by
providing necessary funding.

124880. The department shall conduct a program of grants-in-aid for
the following purposes:
(a) To assist in stabilizing the health care operations of
community clinics and free clinics that provide a wide range of
primary health care services.
(b) To fund innovative and creative programs of such clinics
designed to provide a high quality of health services at minimum
cost.
Eligibility for grants shall be limited to community clinics, free
clinics, clinics exempt from licensure under subdivision (c) of
Section 1206, and any nonprofit corporation that is comprised of not
less than three such clinics having a combined service area covering
an entire county or more. Grants authorized pursuant to this article
shall be limited in purpose to defraying operating expenses of the
recipient clinic, including personnel costs, and for technical
assistance provided to the recipient. Grants shall not be made or
used for purchase of equipment, facility renovations, or purchase of
land or buildings. As a condition to making a grant pursuant to this
chapter, the director shall require the applicant to match not less
than 20 or more than 40 percent of the amount granted. The required
matching funds shall be determined by the director, based upon the
ability of the applicant to provide matching funds. The required
match may be in cash or in-kind contributions, or a combination of
both. In-kind contributions may include, but shall not be limited to,
staff and volunteer services. The director may waive all or a
portion of the grantee match in individual cases of demonstrated
hardship if the director determines that making the grant would
effectively serve the purposes of this chapter. The director shall
adopt criteria to be applied in determining whether to grant requests
for waivers.

124885. The department shall annually receive and process grant
applications submitted by eligible applicants, and shall allocate
grant moneys in accordance with the policies and priorities adopted
pursuant to this article. Individual grants shall be limited to a
maximum of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000), including grants to
nonprofit corporations comprised of more than one clinic. However,
grants may be renewed on an annual basis, subject to the submission
and review of an annual renewal application, that shall be considered
with, and subject to the same priorities as, new applications. No
applicant shall receive more than one grant in any year.
Each grant shall be subject to a contract between the department
and the grantee prescribing the services to be provided by the
grantee thereunder and other conditions of the grant. A contract may
provide for periodic advance payments for services to be performed,
but in no event shall advance payments exceed 25 percent of the
grant.

124890. In developing policies and priorities pertaining to the
allocation of grant funds, the department shall give primary
consideration to the following factors:
(a) The applicant's need for funds to continue its current level
of operation.
(b) The applicant's long-term prospects for financial stability.
(c) The quality of services provided.
(d) The high-risk or underserved population groups currently being
served by the applicant.
All of the above factors being present, clinics primarily serving
population groups determined by the director to be medically
underserved shall be entitled to first consideration in the
allocation of grant funds.
The department shall adopt guidelines for establishment of
grant-supported activities, including criteria for evaluation of each
activity and monitoring to assure compliance with grant conditions
and applicable regulations of the department. The guidelines shall be
developed in consultation with the Primary Care Clinics Advisory
Committee and other advisory committees and persons as the department
determines are appropriate.