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Mowery Bill to License Assisted
Living Residences Approved by Committee
HARRISBURG -- Legislation
sponsored by state Sen. Hal Mowery (R-31) that would have the state license
assisted living residences and establish standards for quality was approved by
the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee on Tuesday.
“Assisted living residences are a rapidly growing long-term care alternative to
nursing homes. Despite their popularity, assisted living residences are not
licensed as such in Pennsylvania, but rather as personal care homes,” said
Mowery, who chairs the committee. “However, the two are not the same and
should be licensed differently. This legislation will ensure that assisted
living residences meet standards for quality that are in line with the distinct
purpose of such facilities.”
Assisted living residences (ALRs)
are distinct from personal care homes in that they encourage “aging in place” by
allowing residents with health care needs to remain in the facility so long as
there are home health care providers that can safely meet the resident’s medical
needs. They are distinct from both personal care homes and nursing homes
in that they encourage independence, allowing residents options on the services
they wish to receive.
Senate Bill 136, the
Pennsylvania Assisted Living Act:
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Requires that each resident
have a level-of-care screening, an assessment of needs and a service plan
regarding how the resident’s needs will be met.
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Creates specific admission,
transfer and discharge requirements and provides protections for residents by
requiring standardized disclosure statements, well-defined resident rights,
and contract requirements to ensure well-informed decisions by all parties.
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Establishes that residents
cannot be required to receive services not needed and may bring in
supplemental services to allow aging in place.
The bill sets age, educational
and training requirements for administrators and direct care staff and requires
competency testing. It also provides protections for individuals with
Alzheimer’s or dementia by creating additional requirements for ALRs that wish
to be specially designated as being capable of meeting the needs of cognitively
impaired individuals.
Senate Bill 136 also provides
for specific inspection and complaint investigation procedures designed to
provide consistent and uniform enforcement.
“It is important that
Pennsylvania’s growing senior citizen population have options to choose from
when planning long-term care. What’s right for one person may not be right for
another,” said Mowery. “It’s just as important that each option be licensed
properly to assure quality and protect residents.”
Senate Bill 136 will next be
considered by the full Senate. |
