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SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 4574
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C 222 L 86
State of Washington 49th Legislature 1986 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Wojahn, Kiskaddon, DeJarnatt, Kreidler, Conner, Vognild, Johnson and Garrett; by request of Department of Social and Health Services)
Read first time 1/29/86.
AN ACT Relating to chore services; amending RCW 74.08.541; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. Section 17, chapter 6, Laws of 1981 1st ex. sess. as amended by section 39, chapter 41, Laws of 1983 1st ex. sess. and RCW 74.08.541 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) "Chore services," as used in this chapter, means services in performing light work and household and other personal tasks which eligible persons are unable to do for themselves because of frailty or handicapping conditions.
(2)
Persons eligible for chore services are adult individuals having
resources less than a level determined by the department, and whose ((level
of)) need for chore services and risk of being placed in a residential care
facility have been determined by the department.
(a)
Persons are eligible for the level or amount of services determined by the
department under RCW 74.08.545 if the persons are: (i) Adult recipients
of supplemental security income((,)) or state supplementation((,
or)); (ii) eligible at the time their eligibility for chore services is
determined or redetermined, for limited casualty program medical care as defined
by RCW 74.09.010((, are eligible for services at no cost. Other individuals
are eligible for needed chore services at a reduced level based on their
ability to purchase the services.)); or (iii) have an income at or below
thirty percent of the state median income.
(b) For other
persons, the department shall
develop a scale ((of reduced services in comparison to determined need so
that recipient participation does not reduce income below thirty percent of the
state median income. Subject to the availability of funds, the department
shall develop a sliding scale of participation considering a portion of income
between thirty percent and fifty percent of the state median income and all
income above fifty percent of the state median income. Any scale of reduced
service developed by the department shall maintain services as in effect on
August 23, 1983, to those persons below thirty percent of the state median
income. However, the department is authorized to continue, without reduction,
benefits provided to persons receiving chore services on August 23, 1983)) which
progressively reduces the level or amount of chore services provided by the
department based on the ability of applicants and recipients to purchase the
services. To determine the ability of applicants and recipients to purchase
chore services, the department shall not consider income below thirty percent
of the state median income.
(c)
Effort shall be made to obtain chore services from volunteer chore service
providers under the senior citizens services act, chapter 74.38 RCW, for
those individuals at risk of being placed in a residential care facility and
who are age sixty or over but eligible for five hours of chore services per
month or less, rather than have those services provided by paid providers. Any
individual at risk of being placed in a residential care facility and who is
age sixty or over but not eligible for chore services or eligible for a
reduced ((level)) amount of service shall be referred to ((the))
a volunteer chore service program under the senior citizens services
act, chapter 74.38 RCW, where ((such program exists)) available
for needed ((hours or)) services not ((provided)) authorized
by the department.
(d) Individuals determined by the department to be eligible
for adult protective services are eligible to receive emergency chore services
without regard to income if the services are essential to, and a subordinate
part of, the adult protective services plan. Emergency chore services under
adult protective services shall be provided only until the ((emergent))
situation necessitating the services has stabilized, not to exceed
ninety days.
((For
clients whose chore services are authorized on an hourly basis,)) (3) The
department shall establish a monthly dollar lid on chore ((service
hours, which shall be allocated to the department's community service offices.
This lid shall be established at a level set by the department. The department
shall also establish a monthly rate lid to apply to clients whose chore
services are authorized on a monthly rate basis)) services expenditures
as necessary to maintain such expenditures within the legislative
appropriation. To maintain expenditures for chore services within the limits
of funds appropriated for this purpose, the department may reduce the level or
amount of services authorized below the level of need assessed pursuant to RCW
74.08.545 for some or all recipients, but the reductions shall be done in a
manner which maintains state-wide uniformity of eligibility and service
authorization standards and which considers the level of need for services and
the degree of risk of being placed in a residential care facility of all
applicants for, and recipients of, chore services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.