FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2172

                         C 193 L 96

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Authorizing actions and penalties against adult residential care providers by the department of social and health services.

Sponsors:  Representatives Dyer, Cody, Dellwo, Dickerson, Horn and Carlson; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.

House Committee on Health Care

Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

Background:  Adult Residential Care (formally referred to as congregate care) is a package of services contracted for by the Aging and Adult Services Administration and provided in a licensed boarding home.  Residents receiving adult residential care are physically and developmentally disabled and elderly adults who require supervision or assistance with activities of daily living and are unable to live alone.  There are approximately 1,430 clients receiving adult residential care across the state.

In 1995 the Legislature modified, expanded, and strengthened adult residential care regulations.  During the drafting of the final version of the legislation, "adult residential care services" was omitted from the list of aging and adult services contractors that are subject to the department's sanctioning licensing and inspection provisions.  As a result of this omission, a remedy such as stop placement may be applied only in assisted living or the enhanced adult residential care part of a boarding home, and not in the part of the boarding home where adult residential care is provided.

Summary:  The Department of Social and Health Services is given the enforcement authority to sanction "adult residential care services" for violations relating to licensing and inspection.

Votes on Final Passage:

House     94 0

Senate    45 4

Effective:  June 6, 1996