Delaware 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

Delaware House Bill HB300 Draft / Bill

                    SPONSOR:      Rep. K. Johnson & Sen. Mantzavinos & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Michael Smith       Reps. Harris, D. Short; Sens. Sokola, Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Walsh           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY       HOUSE BILL NO. 300       AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.      

     

     SPONSOR:      Rep. K. Johnson & Sen. Mantzavinos & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Michael Smith       Reps. Harris, D. Short; Sens. Sokola, Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Walsh     

SPONSOR: Rep. K. Johnson & Sen. Mantzavinos & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Michael Smith
Reps. Harris, D. Short; Sens. Sokola, Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Walsh

 SPONSOR:  

 Rep. K. Johnson & Sen. Mantzavinos & Sen. Townsend & Rep. Michael Smith 

 Reps. Harris, D. Short; Sens. Sokola, Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Walsh 

   

 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

 152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

   

 HOUSE BILL NO. 300 

   

 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. 

   

  BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:    Section 1. Amend Chapter 11, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:     1102. Definitions.    As used in this chapter:    ( ) CMS means the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.   ( ) Dementia Care Services means ongoing specialized care for residents who have been diagnosed with memory-impacting conditions, such as Alzheimers disease or other dementias. Such care is designed to manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms of memory-impacting conditions, such as Alzheimers disease or other dementias. Such care includes planned group and individual programming and person-centered care practices to support activities of daily living for residents living with memory-impacting conditions, such as Alzheimers disease or other dementias. Dementia care services may be provided in a facility that is not or does not include a secured dementia care unit.   ( ) Secured dementia care unit means a designated area or setting designed for individuals with Alzheimers disease or other dementia that is secured to prevent a resident from exiting, or to limit a residents ability to exit, the secured area or setting. A secured dementia care unit is not solely an individual residents living area. Secured dementia care unit does not include all facilities that provide dementia care services.    (3) Division shall mean the Division of Health Care  Quality;   Quality.     1104A. Accreditation for assisted living facilities.    (a) All assisted living facilities that are not subject to CMS regulations must maintain accreditation by the Joint Commission, a successor organization, or an independent accrediting organization approved by the Department.    (b) Assisted living facilities subject to this section must submit proof of accreditation to the Department at least once a year and at least 90 days prior to license renewal.   (c) All such facilities must obtain initial certification under this section no later than July 1, 2026.    (d) Failure to comply with this section and its applicable regulations is grounds for enforcement action under this chapter.    (e) The Department shall promulgate and adopt rules and regulations to fully and effectively implement the provisions of this section.     1104B. Certification for assisted living facilities that provide dementia care services.    (a) In addition to the accreditation required under 1104A of this title, all assisted living facilities that are not subject to CMS regulations and that provide dementia care services must also maintain a certification for the provision of dementia care services by the Joint Commission, a successor organization, or an independent accrediting organization approved by the Department.     (b) Assisted living facilities subject to this section must submit proof of certification to the Department at least once a year and at least 90 days prior to license renewal.   (c) All such facilities must obtain initial certification under this section no later than July 1, 2026.   (d) Failure to comply with this section and its applicable regulations is grounds for enforcement action under this chapter.    (e) The Department shall promulgate and adopt rules and regulations to fully and effectively implement the provisions of this section.     1105. Denial of license or its renewal.    (a) The Department may deny a license to any applicant or refuse to renew a license to any license holder if the Department finds that the applicant or license holder or any partner, officer, director, managerial employee or controlling person of the applicant or license holder has done any of the following:    (1) Failed to meet the requirements of   1104    1104, 1104A, or 1104B  of this title.      

 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE: 

  Section 1. Amend Chapter 11, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly: 

   1102. Definitions. 

  As used in this chapter: 

  ( ) CMS means the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. 

 ( ) Dementia Care Services means ongoing specialized care for residents who have been diagnosed with memory-impacting conditions, such as Alzheimers disease or other dementias. Such care is designed to manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms of memory-impacting conditions, such as Alzheimers disease or other dementias. Such care includes planned group and individual programming and person-centered care practices to support activities of daily living for residents living with memory-impacting conditions, such as Alzheimers disease or other dementias. Dementia care services may be provided in a facility that is not or does not include a secured dementia care unit. 

 ( ) Secured dementia care unit means a designated area or setting designed for individuals with Alzheimers disease or other dementia that is secured to prevent a resident from exiting, or to limit a residents ability to exit, the secured area or setting. A secured dementia care unit is not solely an individual residents living area. Secured dementia care unit does not include all facilities that provide dementia care services. 

  (3) Division shall mean the Division of Health Care  Quality;   Quality. 

   1104A. Accreditation for assisted living facilities. 

  (a) All assisted living facilities that are not subject to CMS regulations must maintain accreditation by the Joint Commission, a successor organization, or an independent accrediting organization approved by the Department. 

  (b) Assisted living facilities subject to this section must submit proof of accreditation to the Department at least once a year and at least 90 days prior to license renewal. 

 (c) All such facilities must obtain initial certification under this section no later than July 1, 2026.  

 (d) Failure to comply with this section and its applicable regulations is grounds for enforcement action under this chapter. 

  (e) The Department shall promulgate and adopt rules and regulations to fully and effectively implement the provisions of this section. 

   1104B. Certification for assisted living facilities that provide dementia care services. 

  (a) In addition to the accreditation required under 1104A of this title, all assisted living facilities that are not subject to CMS regulations and that provide dementia care services must also maintain a certification for the provision of dementia care services by the Joint Commission, a successor organization, or an independent accrediting organization approved by the Department.  

  (b) Assisted living facilities subject to this section must submit proof of certification to the Department at least once a year and at least 90 days prior to license renewal. 

 (c) All such facilities must obtain initial certification under this section no later than July 1, 2026. 

 (d) Failure to comply with this section and its applicable regulations is grounds for enforcement action under this chapter. 

  (e) The Department shall promulgate and adopt rules and regulations to fully and effectively implement the provisions of this section. 

   1105. Denial of license or its renewal. 

  (a) The Department may deny a license to any applicant or refuse to renew a license to any license holder if the Department finds that the applicant or license holder or any partner, officer, director, managerial employee or controlling person of the applicant or license holder has done any of the following: 

  (1) Failed to meet the requirements of   1104    1104, 1104A, or 1104B  of this title. 

   

  SYNOPSIS   This Act requires that all assisted living facilities that are not subject to CMS regulations maintain accreditation from an independent accrediting organization approved by the Department of Health and Social Services, that assisted living facilities that provide dementia care services maintain a certification for the provision of dementia care services from an approved independent accrediting organization, and that all assisted living facilities must submit proof of accreditation and, if applicable, certification to the Department. This Act also authorizes DHSS to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out these provisions, and it defines dementia care services and secured dementia care unit. Violations of this Act are subject to enforcement actions under Chapter 11 of Title 16 and are a basis for the nonrenewal of a facilitys license.   This bill also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.         

 SYNOPSIS 

 This Act requires that all assisted living facilities that are not subject to CMS regulations maintain accreditation from an independent accrediting organization approved by the Department of Health and Social Services, that assisted living facilities that provide dementia care services maintain a certification for the provision of dementia care services from an approved independent accrediting organization, and that all assisted living facilities must submit proof of accreditation and, if applicable, certification to the Department. This Act also authorizes DHSS to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out these provisions, and it defines dementia care services and secured dementia care unit. Violations of this Act are subject to enforcement actions under Chapter 11 of Title 16 and are a basis for the nonrenewal of a facilitys license. 

 This bill also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.