It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to establish adult day health care as a Medi-Cal benefit and allow persons eligible to receive the benefits under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of this part, and who have medical or psychiatric impairments, to receive adult day health care services. It is the intent of the Legislature in authorizing this Medi-Cal benefit to establish and continue a community-based system of quality adult day health care services that will accomplish all of the following:
(a) Ensure that elderly persons and adults with disabilities will not be institutionalized prematurely and inappropriately.
(b) Provide appropriate health and social services designed to maintain elderly persons in their own communities.
(c) Establish adult day health care centers in locations easily accessible to persons who are economically disadvantaged.
(d) Encourage the establishment of rural alternative adult day health care centers that are designed to make adult day health care accessible to elderly persons and adults with disabilities living in rural areas.
(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 648, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 2009.)