H-2716.1  _______________________________________________

                 SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2239

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representative Sherstad)

Read first time 03/10/97.

Providing for conversion of nursing home bed capacity to enhanced residential care services.

    AN ACT Relating to enhanced adult residential care services; and adding a new section to chapter 18.20 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 18.20 RCW to read as follows:

    For the purpose of encouraging a nursing home licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW to convert a portion or all of its licensed bed capacity to provide enhanced adult residential care contracted services under chapter 74.39A RCW, the department shall:

    (1) Find the nursing home to be in satisfactory compliance with RCW 18.20.110 and 18.20.130, upon application for boarding home licensure and the production of copies of its most recent nursing home inspection reports demonstrating compliance with the safety standards and fire regulations, as required by RCW 18.51.140, and the state building code, as required by RCW 18.51.145, including any waivers that may have been granted.  However, boarding home licensure requirements pertaining to resident to bathing fixture/toilet ratio, corridor call system, resident room door closures, and resident room windows may require modification, unless determined to be functionally equivalent, based upon a prelicensure survey inspection.

    (2) Allow residents receiving enhanced adult residential care services to make arrangements for on-site health care services, consistent with Title 18 RCW regulating health care professions, to the extent that such services can be provided while maintaining the resident's right to privacy and safety in treatment, but this in no way means that such services may only be provided in a private room.  The provision of on-site health care services must otherwise be consistent with RCW 18.20.160 and the rules adopted under RCW 18.20.160.

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