Relates to improving quality of certain adult care facilities

1 Co-sponsor

• Jeffrey Dinowitz

BILL NUMBER:A9549

Title of bill

An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to the adult home, enriched housing program and residence for adults quality enhancement fund

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill will improve the health, safety and quality of life of New York residents living in adult care facilities.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:; the bill amends State Finance Law 91-f to rename and expand the Adult Home Quality Enhancement Fund so that it can receive fines collected from enriched housing programs and residences for adults, as well as adult homes, and use such monies to promote quality of care in all such facilities.

Justification

Adult homes, enriched housing programs and residences for adults - collectively referred to as adult care facilities - are important models of care that serve as the homes of thousands of New York State residents. The bill gives the Department of Health the discretion to decide whether an adult home, residence for adults or enriched house program should receive QUIP funds if there is a pending proceeding to assess penalties for endangerment violations.

Because QUIP funds are intended to be used for the benefit of residents rather than as a prize for the benefit of the operator, DOH believes that the denial of such funds should not be automatically imposed in cases of endangerment. Instead, as is the case with pending proceedings for non-rectifiable violations, DOH should be given an opportunity to review the circumstances surrounding the endangerment violation in determining whether QUIP funds should be awarded.

Prior legislative history

Drawn from a similar bill (a departmental) that was introduced in 2007 (A.8701 /S.5155) but did not pass.

Fiscal implications

This bill is not expected to have a fiscal impact on the State

Effective date

Immediately.