56504.5. (a) The department shall enter into an interagency agreement with another state agency or contract with a nonprofit organization or entity to conduct mediation conferences and due process hearings in accordance with Sections 300.506 and 300.511 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) The agency or contractor shall provide hearings and mediations in a manner that is consistent with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and any other applicable legal authorities.
(c) The Superintendent shall adopt regulations that establish standards for all of the following components of an interagency agreement or contract entered into pursuant to subdivision (a):
(1) The training and qualifications for mediators and hearing officers.
(2) The availability of translators and translated documents.
(3) Prevention of conflicts of interest for mediators and hearing officers.
(4) The supervision of mediators and hearing officers.
(5) Monitoring, tracking, and management of cases.
(6) The process for conducting mediations and due process hearings.
(7) Communication with parties to mediations and due process hearings.
(8) The establishment of a committee to advise the agency or contractor with regard to conducting mediations and due process hearings.
(9) The contents of a manual to describe the procedures of the mediation and due process hearing.
(d) (1) An agency or contractor shall collect and provide data in standardized formats, which allow the department to manage and report on all mediation and due process activities in the state. An agency or contractor shall propose the manner in which specific data and information will be collected and transmitted electronically and in writing to the department on a quarterly basis. The reports shall contain data to provide the state with information to comply with federal and state regulations for monitoring local programs. An agency or contractor shall identify applicable data to be collected, analyzed, and formatted including, but not limited to, caseloads, status of cases, and outcomes for mediations and due process hearings.
(2) The agency or contractor shall, on a quarterly basis, provide the department with information that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Formal complaints: (i) number of complaints; (ii) number of complaints with findings; (iii) number of complaints with no findings; (iv) number of complaints not investigated, withdrawn, or no jurisdiction; (v) number of complaints completed or addressed within timelines; and (vi) number of complaints pending.
(B) Mediations: (i) number of mediations not related to hearing requests; (ii) number of mediations related to hearing requests; (iii) number of mediation agreements not related to hearing requests; (iv) number of mediation agreements related to hearing requests; and (v) number of mediations pending.
(C) Due process hearings: (i) number of hearing requests; (ii) number of hearings held; (iii) number of decisions issued after timelines and extension expired; (iv) number of hearings pending; and (v) number of expedited hearings.
(3) The agency or contractor shall submit hard copies of hearing decision reports to the department and shall administer and upload all redacted reports on a quarterly basis to the hearing decision database of the department. The agency or contractor shall have the ability to provide the department with the costs of hearings and mediations on both an aggregate and individual basis.
(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 56, Sec. 85. Effective January 1, 2008.)