Title: An act relating to care facilities.

Brief Description: Concerning assisted care facilities.

Sponsors: Representatives Schual-Berke, Hinkle, Cody, Skinner and Moeller.

Brief History:

Health Care: 2/22/05, 2/28/05 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Cody, Chair; Campbell, Vice Chair; Morrell, Vice Chair; Appleton, Clibborn, Green, Hinkle, Lantz, Moeller, Schual-Berke and Skinner.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 4 members: Representatives Bailey, Ranking Minority Member; Curtis, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Alexander and Condotta.

Staff: Dave Knutson (786-7146).

Background:

Boarding homes are facilities that provide housing and basic services, and assume general responsibility for the safety and well-being of residents. The Department of Social and Health Services is responsible for licensing and overseeing the operation of boarding homes. The Department of Health is responsible for the construction review and approval process.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

The Departments of Health and Social and Health Services, and the Building Code Council will develop standards for small boarding homes. The Department of Health and the Building Code Council will study the risks and benefits of modifying and simplifying construction and equipment standards for small boarding homes, and report their findings to the Legislature by December 1, 2005.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The substitute bill deletes the creation of a new category of boarding home. The Departments of Health and Social and Health Services will work with the Building Code Council to develop standards for small boarding homes and look for ways to modify and simplify construction and equipment standards.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: It is extremely difficult to design, gain approval, and build small boarding homes. Something needs to be done to simplify and expedite the construction approval process.

Testimony Against: It is unclear why a new category of boarding home is being established. The language related to serving clients with the same level of acuity in adult family homes and boarding homes is unclear. This could be a back door way of creating nursing homes without client protections.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Schual-Berke, prime sponsor; Bill Day and Richard Moore, Adult Family Home Association of Washington; and Nora Gibson, Elder Health Northwest.

(Opposed) Louise Ryan and Jeff Collard, Long Term Care Ombudsman Program; Hilke Faber, Resident Councils of Washington; and Julie Peterson, Washington Association of Housing and Services for the Aging.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.