(

a) Recognizing that transitions to independence involve self-initiated changes in placements, it is the intent of the Legislature that regulations developed regarding the approval of the supervised independent living setting, as defined in subdivision (

w) of

Section 11400, shall ensure continuity of placement and payment while the nonminor dependent is awaiting approval of their new supervised independent living setting, in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (

c) of

Section of the Health and Safety Code. (

b) A county may elect to complete an inspection of a supervised independent living placement to ensure that it meets health and safety standards through methods other than an in-person visit, including, but not limited to, videoconferencing and telephone calls that include pictures of the living space, and may, for the 2020–21 fiscal year, temporarily approve the supervised independent living placement pending the submission of required forms by the nonminor dependent, based on the nonminor dependent’s agreement that the forms will be submitted. (

c) A county may elect to certify that a supervised independent living placement meets health and safety standards once every months, as long as the county has no reason to believe that the health and safety conditions of the housing option have changed. This subdivision does not require that individual placements be certified every months if the same youth remains continuously in the placement. (

d) A county may elect to authorize a licensed transitional housing placement provider to provide supportive services to assist the nonminor dependent in their supervised independent living setting.