HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2172

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to adult residential care services.

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.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Health Care:  1/12/96 [DP].

  Floor Activity:

Passed House:  1/22/96, 94-0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 13 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; Skinner and H. Sommers.

Staff:  Antonio Sanchez (786-7383).

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.  Currently, there are approximately 1,430 state 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.  Without the same enforcement authority over adult residential care, 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 of Bill:  The Department of Social and Health Services is given the enforcement authority to sanction "adult and residential care services" for violations relating to licensing and inspection.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This will fix a technical error that will allow the department to exercise enforcement authority.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Cathy Wiggins, Department of Social and Health Services; and Jeff Larson.