H-14                 _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1758

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Peery, Braddock, Crane and Todd

Read first time 2/3/89 and referred to Committees on Health Care/Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to adult family homes; and adding a new chapter to Title 74 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The department of social and health services shall hire six adult family home care consultants.  The consultants shall each serve one department of social and health services region and shall be located and managed within the department of public health.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1)  The family home care consultants shall have the following duties:

          (a)  Advise adult family home owners and operators on health, fire, and safety regulations;

          (b)  Offer adult family home owners and operators information on nutrition for clients, including those needing special diets, and recreational activities for clients;

          (c)  Assist adult family home owners and operators with paperwork and documentation management;

          (d)  Advise adult family home owners and operators on applicable state regulations and assist with compliance;

          (e)  Develop and maintain for the region a master list of adult family home openings to be made available to the public;

          (f)  Serve as an information liaison between the department of social and health services, adult family homes, and other providers in the long-term care industry;

          (g)  In coordination with local fire departments, assist in interpretation and compliance with local fire regulations;

          (h)  Assist adult family homes with needed placement for clients in less restrictive care or nursing home care;

          (i)  Develop a pool of qualified applicants in the region who are willing to provide respite care in adult family homes; and

          (j)  Develop information and training for client medication management.

          (2)  The adult family home care consultants may order licensed adult family home owners or operators to correct serious deficiencies that endanger the life, health, or safety of residents.  If the owner or operator does not comply with the order, the consultant shall report the infraction to the state adult family home inspector.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     (1)  All local fire departments shall inspect adult family homes at the time of licensing, relicensing, or when significant structural changes occur in the home.

          (2)  All license sponsors shall notify their local fire department in writing that they are adult family home sponsors.

          (3)  A smoke detector shall be located in each bedroom occupied by an adult family home resident.

          (4)    There shall be no electrically operated beds in licensed adult family homes.

          (5)  Licensed adult family homes shall be allowed to accept only ambulatory residents.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The department of social and health services, in conjunction with the licensed adult family home industry, shall develop state-wide recordkeeping procedures and forms for medication management.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     The state of Washington, the department of social and health services, and adult family home care consultants are not liable for civil damages resulting from any act or omission in the rendering of assistance to adult family homes by adult family home care consultants, other than acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     Sections 1 through 5 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 74 RCW.