BILL REQ. #:  H-4429.2 

Read first time 01/16/08.   Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.

     AN ACT Relating to establishing a voluntary adult family home certification program; amending RCW 70.128.120; and adding a new section to chapter 70.128 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 70.128 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Adult family homes may participate in a voluntary adult family home certification program through the University of Washington geriatric education center. In addition to the minimum qualifications required under RCW 70.128.120, individuals participating in the voluntary adult family home certification program shall complete fifty-two hours of class requirements as established by the University of Washington geriatric education center. Subjects covered by the class requirements shall include: Specific age-related physical or mental health conditions that can be prevented, postponed, or alleviated by a health promotion intervention, how to establish health promotion programs in residential settings and communities, preventing falls, addressing health issues of aging families, and issues and health concerns of ethnic older adults and those with developmental disabilities.
     (2) Individuals completing the requirements of RCW 70.128.120 and the voluntary adult family home certification program shall be issued a certified adult family home license by the department of social and health services.
     (3) The department shall adopt rules implementing the provisions of this section.

Sec. 2   RCW 70.128.120 and 2006 c 249 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Each adult family home provider and each resident manager shall have the following minimum qualifications, except that only providers are required to meet the provisions of subsection (10) of this section:
     (1) Twenty-one years of age or older;
     (2) For those applying after September 1, 2001, to be licensed as providers, and for resident managers whose employment begins after September 1, 2001, a United States high school diploma or general educational development (GED) certificate or any English or translated government documentation of the following:
     (a) Successful completion of government-approved public or private school education in a foreign country that includes an annual average of one thousand hours of instruction over twelve years or no less than twelve thousand hours of instruction;
     (b) A foreign college, foreign university, or United States community college two-year diploma;
     (c) Admission to, or completion of coursework at, a foreign university or college for which credit was granted;
     (d) Admission to, or completion of coursework at, a United States college or university for which credits were awarded;
     (e) Admission to, or completion of postgraduate coursework at, a United States college or university for which credits were awarded; or
     (f) Successful passage of the United States board examination for registered nursing, or any professional medical occupation for which college or university education preparation was required;
     (3) Good moral and responsible character and reputation;
     (4) Literacy in the English language, however, a person not literate in the English language may meet the requirements of this subsection by assuring that there is a person on staff and available who is able to communicate or make provisions for communicating with the resident in his or her primary language and capable of understanding and speaking English well enough to be able to respond appropriately to emergency situations and be able to read and understand resident care plans;
     (5) Management and administrative ability to carry out the requirements of this chapter;
     (6) Satisfactory completion of department-approved basic training and continuing education training as specified by the department in rule, based on recommendations of the community long-term care training and education steering committee and working in collaboration with providers, consumers, caregivers, advocates, family members, educators, and other interested parties in the rule-making process;
     (7) Satisfactory completion of department-approved, or equivalent, special care training before a provider may provide special care services to a resident;
     (8) Not been convicted of any crime listed in RCW 43.43.830 and 43.43.842;
     (9) For those applying after September 1, 2001, to be licensed as providers, and for resident managers whose employment begins after September 1, 2001, at least three hundred twenty hours of successful, direct caregiving experience obtained after age eighteen to vulnerable adults in a licensed or contracted setting prior to operating or managing an adult family home; ((and))
     (10) Prior to being granted a license, providers applying after January 1, 2007, must complete a department-approved forty-eight hour adult family home administration and business planning class. The department shall promote and prioritize bilingual capabilities within available resources and when materials are available for this purpose; and
     (11) Following licensure, completion of two hours of administrative continuing education administered by the department in collaboration with the adult family home advisory committee and taught by adult family home association providers with five or more years of experience. For the purpose of this subsection, "adult family home association" means an organized group of adult family home providers with a proven history of advocacy of at least five years with a sustained membership of at least one hundred members as approved by the department. Internet access and bilingual training materials shall be promoted and prioritized when available and appropriate. The department shall ensure balanced participation, by the appointment of stakeholders equally, between adult family home providers and consumers to the adult family home advisory committee.