ANALYSIS OF HOUSE BILL 2382

Requiring long-term care facilities to admit only those

      patients that they can safely and appropriately serve.

Health Care Committee                           1 February 1998

Washington State House of Representatives

SPONSORS:  Representatives Dunn and Mielke.

BACKGROUND:  Washington State has four principle types of long-term care facilities for its disabled or frail elderly citizens.  These include:  nursing homes, state developmentally disabled (DD) institutions, adult family homes, and boarding homes.  Currently, the state has two state-run nursing homes.  One of these nursing homes is the Washington Soldiers Home at Orting and the other is the Washington Veterans= home at Retsil.  Both of these nursing home facilities provide the full range of 24-hour nursing care, 7 days a week, for honorably discharged veterans= of the United States armed forces only.  Boarding homes are care facilities usually ranging in size from 10-60 residents.  Smaller boarding homes are often called group homes and larger ones might be marketed to the public as assisted living facilities.  Adult family homes are regular neighborhood residences providing care for two- six residents.  The owner of the adult family home, or staff hired by the owner, provide the care.  They provide room, board, laundry, necessary supervision, assistance with activities of daily living, personal care, and social services.  Nursing services can be provided in the home.  Adult family homes are licensed, regulated and inspected by the Department of Social & Health Services.  The state has approximately 2,300 adult family homes providing services to almost 8,000 clients.  Of the total adult family home caseload, approximately 3,000 are state clients.

SUMMARY:  State run nursing homes (referring to the Washington Soldiers Home at Orting and the Washington Veterans= home at Retsil), boarding homes, and adult family homes are required to only admit or retain individuals that they can safely take care of given reasonable staffing and other accommodations consistent with state and federal requirements.  Two-way disclosure of information between a potential state pay long-term care resident and a facility or home is addressed.  All adult family home, boarding home, and state veterans= home residents are required to have a comprehensive  assessment of their long-term care needs and preferences before admission.  Provisions are made for emergency admissions.   In turn, the facility or home is required to fully disclose their capabilities and charges to the resident or his or her representative.