HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2152

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                         Health Care

Title:  An act relating to registration of adult family home providers and resident managers.

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for adult family home licensing and operation.

Sponsors:  Representatives Dyer, Backlund, Cody, Morris, Carlson, Thompson, Costa and Murray; by request of Department of Health.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Health Care:  1/12/96 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Dyer, Chairman; Backlund, Vice Chairman; Hymes, Vice Chairman; Cody, Ranking Minority Member; Murray, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell; Casada; Conway; Crouse; Morris; Sherstad and Skinner.

Staff:  Antonio Sanchez (786-7383).

Background:  Adult Family Homes are licensed by the state to provide residential care for up to six frail and functionally disabled persons in a homelike setting.  The residents in adult family homes are physically and developmentally disabled and elderly adults who require supervision or assistance with activities of daily living and/or health related services and are unable to live alone.  Adult family home providers are required to meet Department of Social and Health Services minimal qualifications for certification, complete 20 hours of basic training, and successfully undergo a law enforcement background check.  In addition, each adult family home residence is required to undergo inspections and meet home safety standards, such as having functioning smoke detectors on every level, a fire extinguisher, first aid supplies, handrails on stairs, and other key safety standards as defined by the department.  Adult family homes are licensed by the Department of Social and Health Services.  The Department of Social and Health Services regulates adult family homes through rules overseen by the Aging and Adult Services Administration. 

The Adult Family Home Program has been in operation in Washington for 25 years.  What began as a model project with a few homes in Seattle, Tacoma, and the Tri-cities now consists of approximately 1,850 licensed adult family homes statewide caring for over 8,000 individuals.  Approximately 2,000 of these residents are state-funded.  Of these state funded adult family home clients, approximately 65 percent are either developmentally disabled, or otherwise disabled, persons under 60 years of age.  The elderly comprise the remaining 35 percent of adult family home residents.

In 1995 the Legislature modified, expanded, and strengthened adult family home regulations.  The Department of Health was given the responsibility to oversee the registration of all adult family home providers under the Uniform Disciplinary Act.  Some confusion exists under the current law regarding the use of the term "provider" with regard to who should be required to register with the Department of Health.  The Department of Social and Health Services distinguishes adult family home "providers" who own but do not always operate the adult family home, from adult family home "resident managers" who are employed by a provider to conduct the day-to-day operations of the home.  The 1995 legislation intended the Uniform Disciplinary Act to cover the individuals who run the day-to-day duties of the adult family home. It was intended to prevent those individuals who have been found guilty of failure to comply with codes of proper conduct under the Uniform Disciplinary Act from operating another adult family home in the state.

Summary of Bill:  The definitions of "providers" and "resident managers" are made consistent under the Department of Social and Health Services licensing statutes and the Department of Health statutes granting the department the authority to register adult family homes.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect on July 1, 1996.

Testimony For:  This bill is needed to correct a technical problem resulting from changes to the statutes last year.  The changes make the law consistent with the intent of the original legislation.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Ron Weaver, Department of Health.