TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
State of California
DANIEL E. LUNGREN
Attorney General
______________________________________
OPINION :
: No. 97-311
of :
: July 21, 1997
DANIEL E. LUNGREN :
Attorney General :
:
ANTHONY M. SUMMERS :
Deputy Attorney General :
:
______________________________________________________________________
THE HONORABLE TOM J. BORDONARO, JR., MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA
ASSEMBLY, has requested an opinion on the following question:
May trained, unlicensed staff members of a community care facility perform incidental
medical services with respect to a gastrostomy, colostomy, ileostomy, and the use of urinary catheters?
CONCLUSION
Trained, unlicensed staff members of a community care facility may perform incidental
medical services with respect to a gastrostomy, colostomy, ileostomy, and the use of urinary catheters.
ANALYSIS
The Legislature has enacted a comprehensive statutory scheme, the Community Care
Facilities Act (Health & Saf. Code, §§ 1500-1567.8; "Act"), Footnote No. 1 to provide "a coordinated and
comprehensive statewide service system of quality community care for mentally ill, developmentally and
physically disabled, and children and adults . . . ." (§ 501, subd. (a).) A "community care facility" is defined
as:
". . . any facility, place, or building that is maintained and operated to provide
nonmedical residential care, day treatment, adult day care, or foster family agency services for
children, adults, or children and adults, including, but not limited to, the physically handicapped,
mentally impaired, incompetent persons, and abused or neglected children . . . ." (§ 1502, subd.
(a).)
The question presented for resolution is whether trained but unlicensed staff members of a community care
facility may perform "incidental medical services" with respect to a gastrostomy, colostomy, ileostomy, and
the use of urinary catheters. Footnote No. 2 We conclude that they may.
In 71 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 190, 204 (1988), we concluded that nasogastric and gastrostomy
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feeding could not be performed by an unlicensed home care companion because "substantial scientific
knowledge and technical skill are necessary to their proper performance." What developments, if any, have
occurred since 1988 that would cause a different conclusion with respect to unlicensed community care
facility staff members?
In 1996 the Legislature amended section 1507 to provide:
"(a) A community care facility may provide incidental medical services. If the
medical services constitute a substantial component of the services provided by the community
care facility as defined by the director in regulations, the medical services component shall be
approved as set forth in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1200) or Chapter 2 (commencing
with Section 1250).
"(b) The department shall adopt emergency regulations for community care facilities
for adults by February 1, 1997, to do all of the following:
"(1) Specify incidental medical services that may be provided. These incidental
medical services shall include, but need not be limited to, any of the following: gastrostomy,
colostomy, ileostomy, and urinary catheters.
"(2) Specify the conditions under which incidental medical services may be provided.
"(3) Specify the medical services that, due to the level of care required, are prohibited
services. . . ." Footnote No. 3
Under the terms of section 1507, a community care facility is expressly authorized to provide incidental
medical services including those furnished with respect to a gastrostomy, colostomy, ileostomy, and the use
of urinary catheters. The issue to be resolved is whether such services must be performed by licensed health
care professionals on behalf of the facility or whether trained but unlicensed staff members of the facility
may perform the services.
In construing the language of section 1507, we are guided by well-established principles of
statutory construction. The primary "objective of statutory interpretation is to ascertain and effectuate
legislative intent." (Burden v. Snowden (1992) 2 Cal.4th 556, 562.) "Every word, phrase, and sentence in a
statute should, if possible, be given significance. [Citation.]" (Larson v. State Personnel Bd. (1994) 28
Cal.App.4th 265, 276-277.) "The words of the statute must be construed in context, keeping in mind the
statutory purpose, and statutes or statutory sections relating to the same subject must be harmonized, both
internally and with each other, to the extent possible. [Citations.]" (Dyna-Med, Inc. v. Fair Employment and
Housing Com. (1987) 43 Cal.3d 1379, 1387.) "`Statements in legislative committee reports concerning the
statutory purposes which are in accordance with a reasonable interpretation of the statute will be followed by
the courts.'" (O'Brien v. Dudenhoeffer (1993) 16 Cal.App.4th 327, 334.) "If possible, the words should be
interpreted to make them workable and reasonable [citations], practical [citation], in accord with common
sense and justice, and to avoid an absurd result [citations]." (Halbert's Lumber, Inc. v. Lucky Stores, Inc.
(1992) 6 Cal.App.4th 1233, 1239-1240.)
With these principles of statutory construction in mind, we find that in 1989 the Legislature
enacted a statutory scheme (Stats. 1989, ch. 1437, § 1), authorizing incidental medical services with respect
to a gastrostomy, colostomy, ileostomy, the use of urinary catheters, and other medical or surgical procedures
for certain children with special health care needs to be performed by the following persons:
"(1) A parent trained by health care professionals where the child is being placed in,
or is currently in, a specialized foster care home.
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"(2) Group home staff trained by health care professionals pursuant to the discharge
plan of the facility releasing the child where the child was placed in the home as of November 1,
1993, and who is currently in the home.
"(3) A health care professional, where the child is placed in a group home after
November 1, 1993. . . ." (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 17710, subd. (h).)
Thus, while the Legislature has elected to have incidental medical services provided by health care
professionals for children placed in group homes after November 1, 1993, prior to that date unlicensed staff
members were authorized to provide such services.
In 1990, in connection with supportive services for children with developmental disabilities
cared for at home, the Legislature provided:
"(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an in-home respite worker may
perform gastrostomy care and feeding of clients of regional centers, after successful completion
of training as provided in this section.
"(b) In order to be eligible to receive training for purposes of this section, an in-home
respite worker shall submit to the trainer proof of successful completion of a first aid course and
successful completion of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation course within the preceding year.
"(c) The training in gastrostomy care and feeding required under this section shall be
provided by physicians or registered nurses through a gastroenterology or surgical center in an
acute care hospital, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code,
which meets California Children Services' Program standards for centers for children with
congenital gastrointestinal disorders, or comparable standards for adults, or by a physician or
registered nurse who has been certified to provide training by the center.
"(d) The gastroenterology or surgical center providing the training shall develop a
training protocol which shall be submitted for approval to the State Department of
Developmental Services. The department shall approve those protocols which specifically
address all of the following:
"(1) Care of the gastrostomy site.
"(2) Performance of gastrostomy tube feeding.
"(3) Identification of, and appropriate response to, problems and complications
associated with gastrostomy care and feeding.
"(4) Continuing education requirements.
"(e) Training by the gastroenterology or surgical center, of the certified physician or
registered nurse, shall be done in accordance with the approved training protocol. Training of
in-home respite workers shall be specific to the individual needs of the developmentally disabled
regional center client receiving the gastrostomy feeding and shall be in accordance with orders
from the client's treating physician or surgeon.
"(f) The primary care physician shall give assurances to the regional center that the
patient's condition is stable prior to the regional center's purchasing in-home gastrostomy care
for the client through an appropriately trained respite worker.
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"(g) Prior to the purchase of in-home gastrostomy care through a trained respite
worker, the regional center shall do all of the following:
"(1) Ensure that a nursing assessment of the client, performed by a registered nurse, is
conducted to determine whether an in-home respite worker, licensed vocational nurse, or
registered nurse may perform the services.
"(2) Ensure that a nursing assessment of the home has been conducted to determine
whether gastrostomy care and feeding can appropriately be provided in that setting.
"(h) The agency providing in-home respite services shall do all of the following:
"(1) Ensure adequate training of the in-home respite worker.
"(2) Ensure that telephone backup and emergency consultation by a registered nurse
or physician is available.
"(3) Develop a plan for care of the gastrostomy site and for gastrostomy tube feeding
to be carried out by the respite worker.
"(4) Ensure that the in-home respite worker and the gastrostomy services provided by
the respite worker are adequately supervised by a registered nurse.
"(I) For purposes of this section, `in-home respite worker' means an individual
employed by an agency which is vendored by a regional center to provide in-home respite
services. These agencies include, but are not limited to, in-home respite services agencies, home
health agencies, or other agencies providing these services." (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 4686.)
Here, again, the Legislature has enacted a special statute allowing trained but unlicensed persons to perform
gastrostomy care and feeding in specified circumstances.
These related statutory enactments indicate that the Legislature believes incidental medical
services with respect to gastrostomies, colostomies, ileostomies, and the use of urinary catheters may be
performed by unlicensed persons when appropriately trained. Returning to the provisions of section 1507, we
believe it would be unreasonable to conclude that the sentence "[a] community care facility may provide
incidental medical services" was intended by the Legislature to authorize community care facilities to
provide the services in question only through licensed health care professionals such as physicians and
registered nurses. In 1996, when section 1507 was amended to specifically refer to incidental medical
services performed in connection with gastrostomies, colostomies, ileostomies, and the use of urinary
catheters, physicians and registered nurses were already authorized to perform such services. (71
Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 190, supra.) Rather, then, in keeping with Welfare and Institutions Code sections 4686
and 17710, the Legislature amended section 1507 in 1996 as a special statute authorizing trained but
unlicensed persons to perform incidental medical services in conjunction with the specified surgeries and
procedures under the described circumstances.
This interpretation of section 1507 is consistent with the statute's legislative history. At the
time of the 1996 amendment, the proposed changes in statutory language were explained in the report of the
Assembly Committee on Human Services for its hearing of April 16, 1996, in part as follows:
"Adult day care facilities provide non-medical care and incidental medical services
for adults who are developmentally or mentally disabled and to persons 60 years of age or older.
More and more, facilities are accepting disabled adults who are in greater need of assistance with
the activities of daily living and who require incidental medical services. The [Department of
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Developmental Services] is committed to placing larger numbers of these individuals into the
community. This bill would require [the Department of Developmental Services] to adopt
emergency regulations by February 1, 1997 that do the following:
"1) Specific incidental medical services that may be provided by a [community care
facility], including, but not limited to, gastrostomy, colostomy, ileostomy, and urinary catheters
. . . ."
In the report of the Assembly Committee on Appropriations for its hearing on May 8, 1996, the fiscal effects
of the proposed legislation were described in part as follows:
"Unknown, probably minor, costs to community care facilities for staff training on
the care of persons needing these incidental medical services. To some extent, these costs could
be recovered through higher rates paid to the facility for care. General Fund costs would increase
for the state share of any rate increases."
The report of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for its hearing on July 3, 1996, stated in
part:
"Supporters argue that AB 2835 increases community placement options for persons
in need of incidental medical services. This measure would enable clients to receive incidental
medical services in a setting that is less costly than a health facility. It would provide regulations
and specificity as to what is considered incidental medical services."
When the legislation was adopted, it contained the following declaration of legislative purpose: "It is the
intent of the Legislature to ensure that adults with incidental medical needs have access to community care
facilities." (Stats. 1996, ch. 517, § 1.)
We believe that the above legislative history fully supports the conclusion that the
Legislature amended section 1507 in 1996 to allow trained but unlicensed staff members of a community
care facility to perform incidental medical services with respect to gastrostomies, colostomies, ileostomies,
and the use of urinary catheters. Such construction of section 1507 gives significance to every word of the
statute and provides a practical, reasonable result consistent with related statutory provisions. Whatever
conditions or restrictions are necessary in performing the specified services by unlicensed staff members of a
community care facility may be imposed by regulations adopted by the Department of Social Services.
We conclude that trained, unlicensed staff members of a community care facility may
perform incidental medical services with respect to a gastrostomy, colostomy, ileostomy, and the use of
urinary catheters.
*****
Footnote No. 1
All references hereafter to the Health and Safety Code are by section number only.
Footnote No. 2
A gastrostomy is a surgical operation creating an opening into the stomach, a colostomy surgically creates an opening into
the colon, an ileostomy establishes an opening in the lower third of the small intestine, and a urinary catheter is a tube
inserted through the urethra into the bladder. (Stedman's Medical Dict. (5th lawyers' ed. 1982) pp. 237, 301, 578, 691.)
Footnote No. 3
The "director" is the Director of Social Services (§ 1502, subd. (c)), "Chapter 1" licenses clinics, "Chapter 2" licenses heath
facilities, and the "department" is the Department of Social Services (§ 1502, subd. (b)).
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