SECTIONS 9320 - California Statutes

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE

SECTION 9320

9320. (a) The department shall establish a task force to study and
make recommendations, including action steps and timelines, on the
improvement of legal services delivery to senior citizens in
California by exploring the following matters:
(1) Actions to ensure that all area agencies on aging allocate
sufficient funding to local legal assistance providers. Actions may
include, but not be limited to, the establishment of a minimum
percentage of area agency on aging funding for legal assistance
providers in California.
(2) Ways to ensure uniformity in the provision of legal services
throughout the state, including, but not limited to, possible
development of uniform statewide standards for the delivery of legal
services in California.
(3) Measures to evaluate and monitor local legal assistance
programs to ensure compliance with the federal Older Americans Act
and its implementing regulations.
(4) Establishment of statewide reporting system to assess the
effectiveness of a legal assistance program for seniors in the state.
(5) The possible establishment of a statewide legal hotline for
seniors.
(6) Opportunities to enhance communications among the various
service providers and to ensure efficient service delivery involving
local programs and a statewide hotline, should it come into
existence.
(7) Opportunities for joint training for senior legal services
advocates around the state.
(8) Other states' legal services delivery networks.
(b) The director shall serve on or appoint a representative to the
task force, and shall appoint the following additional members:
(1) One member of the Legislature or his or her representative.
(2) Three legal service director representatives of existing legal
service programs for seniors.
(3) The Legal Services Developer at the California Department of
Aging.
(4) Two area agency on aging directors.
(5) Two representatives of senior advocacy organizations.
(6) A representative of the State Bar of California.
(c) The Member of the Legislature, or his or her representative,
shall serve on the task force to the extent that the service is
compatible with the duties of a Member of the Legislature.
(d) The task force shall report and make its recommendations to
the Legislature on or before September 1, 2002.