TASK FORCES MEET ON AL ISSUES

VCAL (9/1/2004)

In recent weeks a series of meetings have been held by statewide Task Forces developing recommendations for changes in Virginias regulatory structure and laws governing assisted living facilities.  VCAL is represented on both the Secretarys Aging Action Agenda Task Force and an Assisted Living Collaborative.  The Collaborative, a multi-stakeholder group, met on August 12, 2004 to address and reach consensus on  the five distinct areas reported in a previous VCAL Focus:  reimbursement, co-mingling of elderly and mentally ill residents, Administrator standards, enforcement and oversight, staff qualifications and training.  Recommendations on these topics were reviewed by VCAL members at their committee meeting on August 17th.

The Secretarys Task Force met on August 16, 2004 to hear presentations on The Impact of Virginia's Aging Population on the States Long Term Care Industry by Kevin F. Byrnes, Demographer for the Virginia Department for the Aging, and a report on Virginia assisted living population and national assisted living reimbursement methodologies by Karen Lawson, Department of Medical Assistance Services.  This was followed by meetings of workgroups comprised of Reimbursement/Funding Streams, Admission Criteria/Special Populations/Levels of Care, and Oversight/Enforcement/Staffing/Credentialing. 

The Oversight workgroup is considering the following:

• A licensure requirement for assisted living facility administrators.
  Certification requirements for medication aides in assisted living facilities and adult day care.
• Expedited suspension of licensure for adult programs if imminent danger exists.
• An increase in civil monetary fines for non-compliance with licensure.
  Strengthened disclosure requirements.
• Additional workgroup recommendations are also under discussion.