S-4006               _______________________________________________

                                           SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 141

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By Senators Kreidler and Moore

Read first time 1/23/86 and referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE HONORABLE DR. OTIS BOWEN, SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED AND TO THE HONORABLE BOOTH GARDNER:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, Complete and accurate information of the cost-effectiveness of alternative means of enhancing informal long-term care by the family and friends of the elderly and disabled is necessary to the careful targeting of resources in this area.  Specific research and data needs include:

          (1) Comparative information on the costs and benefits of alternative programs to promote or support informal care;

          (2) Identification of state and local barriers to, and of existing or potential funding sources for, shared living arrangements for the elderly and disabled; and

          (3) Evaluation of alternative mechanisms for providing individuals with financial incentives to provide informal care; and

          WHEREAS, Research on alternative models for organizing long-term care services is required to improve the array of formal services that are available.  Evaluative information is needed comparing the costs and benefits of services with different agencies providing different levels of care and services organized in managed care systems; and

          WHEREAS, Expanded data on the costs and benefits of different types of long-term care is needed to assure the appropriate supply and mix of individual services and research and information needs include:

          (1) Evaluation of alternative standard definitions of units of long-term care service;

          (2) Comparative information on the costs of and charges for different long-term care services for public and private clients in different parts of the state;

          (3) Comparative data on the numbers and characteristics of public and private clients using long-term care services in different parts of the state;

          (4) Identification of indicators of the population's need for long-term care services; and

          (5) Research on the cost-effectiveness of alternative services and on the substitutability of different types of long-term care; and

          WHEREAS, Information on alternative health care quality assurance mechanisms is necessary to ensure the quality on long-term care services and such information must include:

          (1) Identification of indicators of adequate quality;

          (2) Comparative information on the quality of care provided by different long-term care facilities and services in the state; and

          (3) Research on the costs and benefits of alternative health care quality assurance mechanisms, such as licensing programs and industry accreditation systems; and

          WHEREAS, Data comparing alternative client management systems are needed to ensure that clients are matched with the most cost-effective service that will meet their needs.  Research needs include:

          (1) Information on the costs and benefits of alternative care management systems;

          (2) Comparative data on the effects of alternative payment systems including per case and per capita payment systems;

          (3) Comparative data on client eligibility and participation requirements for different long-term care services; and

          (4) Evaluation of preplacement screening alternatives;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Congress of the United States fully fund such research programs and the United States Department of Health and Human Services carry out such programs.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the Honorable Dr. Otis Bowen, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each member of Congress from the State of Washington, and the Honorable Booth Gardner, Governor of the State of Washington.