SENATE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1496

BYHouse Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Cantwell, Brooks, D. Sommers, Braddock, Prentice, Sprenkle, Anderson, May, Beck and P. King) 

Regulating residential care facilities.

House Committe on Health Care

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Health Care & Corrections

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 30, 1989

Senate Staff:Scott Plack (786-7409)

AS OF MARCH 29, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Currently in Washington State, there are a number of licensing and certification categories for facilities that provide personal care and residential services to functionally disabled, and frail elderly persons.  These facilities include adult family homes, boarding homes, congregate care facilities, group homes for the developmentally disabled and others.  Regulation and oversight of these residential facilities span a range of different divisions within the Department of Social and Health Services.  Each of these divisions provides a different set of licensing criteria, monitoring, and enforcement for the type of facility under their jurisdiction.

SUMMARY:

The development of a unified and non-categorical system for residential facility services to functionally disabled persons is provided.  The Department of Health is designated as the regulatory authority if the department is created.  Otherwise the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) will regulate the facilities.

The department is directed to treat adult family homes differently from other residential care facilities in an attempt to maintain their home-like environment, while upholding standards of health and safety.

Specialized services:  Residential care facilities are required to meet each resident's needs for services, directly through qualified staff at the facility or through qualified providers in the community.

Uniform procedures:  Uniform licensing, monitoring, more flexible enforcement, and a two year license with annual monitoring are authorized.  The department is given enforcement authority in the form of suspension of admissions, resident transfers and civil penalties.  The department is directed to establish a license fee for residential care facilities.

Department support of residential care facilities is provided in the form of department sponsored or approved training programs for providers, the development and distribution of necessary forms to providers, and the distribution of copies of resident's rights.

Resident rights and house rules are established that outline the resident's rights to privacy, treatment, religious practice, and social interaction.  It also allows providers to develop house rules regarding the general operation of the facility/home.  Mandatory licensing fees are established for all adult homes.

Facilities not considered as residential care facilities include; nursing homes, residential habilitation centers, residential treatment centers for the mentally ill, private hospitals for mental illness or substance abuse, evaluation and treatment centers for minors, soldiers and veterans homes, state schools for the deaf and blind, drug treatment and rehabilitation programs at institutions, children's crisis residential centers, group care and foster care for children, independent senior housing in CCRC's, DD group homes, and Christian Science facilities.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available