CA Health & Safety Code Section 1799.200

(a)

The State Department of Health Services shall contract with an organization with expertise in program evaluation, pediatric emergency medical services, and critical care, for the purposes specified in subdivision (b).

(b)

The contractor, in consultation with a professional pediatric association, a professional emergency physicians association, a professional emergency medical services medical directors association, the Emergency Medical Services Authority, and the State Department of Health Services, shall perform a study that will identify the outcome criteria which can be used to evaluate pediatric critical care systems. This study shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(1)

Development of criteria to identify how changes in pediatric critical care systems affect the treatment of critically ill and injured children.

(2)

Development of criteria to compare the systems in place in various areas of the state.

(3)

Determination of whether the necessary data is currently available.

(4)

Estimate of the cost to providers, such as emergency medical service agencies and hospitals, of collecting this data.

(5)

Recommendations concerning the most reliable and cost-effective monitoring plan for use by agencies and facilities at the state, regional, and local levels.