Task Forces Convene in Response to Washington Post Series

VCAL (07/15/04)

In response to articles published in the Washington Post highlighting violations and incidents of harm in Virginias assisted living facilities, a number of task forces have been created to address key issues and propose resolutions.  The Aging Action Task Force, convened by Health and Human Resource secretary Jane Woods, met on June 28, 2004.  Highlights of legislative studies of assisted living in Virginia were presented, noting that there have been five legislative studies of assisted living conducted over the past 25 years.  These include a 1979 study of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) that examined Homes for Adults and cited general weaknesses in regulations, lack of enforcement and low reimbursement.  In 1990, JLARC conducted a follow-up review citing a need for levels of care, regulatory deficits, and an increasing number of mentally ill residents in facilities.  A 1997 JLARC study focused on services for mentally disabled residents in Adult Care Residences followed by a 1998 and 1999 study by the Joint Commission on Health Care.  According to minutes from that Task Force meeting, members formed three work groups to address key issues: reimbursement/funding streams; admission criteria/special populations/levels of care; and oversight, enforcement, staffing, and credentialing.  The Task Force work groups are charged with preparing an aggressive package of statutory and budgetary recommendations that address assisted living to present to the Governor and General Assembly for the 2005 Session.  A second meeting is scheduled for August.

An additional Assisted Living Task Force (ALTF) has been convened with representatives of The Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living (CCAL), a national non-profit education and advocacy organization dedicated to the needs of assisted living consumers, AARP, multiple advocacy groups, the Alzheimer's Association, and assisted living providers.  This task force will take a broad and comprehensive view of assisted living issues in Virginia and make recommendations for action.  Two meetings have been held with a third scheduled for late July. 

Five primary issues have been identified as priorities by the ALTF:

• Reimbursement
• Co-mingling of elderly and mentally ill residents
• Administrator standards
• Enforcement and oversight
• Staff qualifications and training