HLS 15RS-4595 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 197
BY REPRESENTATIVES PRICE AND BARROW
HEALTH/HOME CARE: Requests the Dept. of Health and Hospitals to establish a study
committee on delivery of home-based care and services
1 A RESOLUTION
2To urge and request the Department of Health and Hospitals to establish a study committee
3 on family caregiving and long-term supports and services, and to request the study
4 committee to report recommendations for legislative and administrative actions
5 regarding support for family caregivers and other long-term care providers to the
6 House Committee on Health and Welfare.
7 WHEREAS, the number of people in Louisiana who are age eighty-five and older
8and most likely to require assistance from a caregiver as they age is projected to surpass one
9hundred twenty-six thousand by the year 2030; and
10 WHEREAS, the majority of older adults who are in need of assistance with activities
11of daily living prefer to remain in their own homes and communities as they age; and
12 WHEREAS, providing services and supports to these older adults in their homes and
13communities is generally less expensive than nursing home care; and
14 WHEREAS, among the population of older adults living in the community who
15receive personal assistance, statistics indicate that nearly three-fourths of these citizens rely
16exclusively on unpaid caregivers for the assistance they need; and
17 WHEREAS, to successfully accommodate the surging population of older adults who
18have significant needs for long-term services and supports, this state must implement
19policies to encourage and support families in assisting their aging relatives and institute best
20practices for recruiting and retaining a qualified, responsive in-home care workforce.
Page 1 of 4 HLS 15RS-4595 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 197
1 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
2Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Department of Health and
3Hospitals to establish a study committee on family caregiving and long-term supports and
4services within the department and staffed by the department.
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall be composed of the
6following members:
7 (1) One member representing AARP Louisiana.
8 (2) One member representing the Southern University Department of Social Work.
9 (3) One member representing the Louisiana Councils on Aging.
10 (4) One member representing the governor's office of elderly affairs.
11 (5) One member representing the Advocacy Center.
12 (6) One member appointed by the president of the Senate.
13 (7) One member appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
14 (8) Two members appointed by the secretary of the Department of Health and
15Hospitals, one of whom shall be employed with the office for citizens with developmental
16disabilities and one of whom shall be employed with the office of aging and adult services.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the appointing entities shall submit the names
18of study committee members to the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals,
19referred to hereafter as "the department", on or before October 1, 2015.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the committee shall serve
21without per diem or any other form of compensation.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of the department shall call the first
23meeting of the study committee on or before November 1, 2015.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that at its first meeting, the study committee shall
25elect from among its members a chairman and any other officers it deems necessary.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall review options for
27decreasing the waiting list for waiver services presently offered by the department and
28investigate any efficiencies in the provision of long-term care and supports as well as
29families assisting their aging relatives to remain in their homes and communities.
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HR NO. 197
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall explore the impact of
2the reduction of reimbursement rates for home- and community-based services and the
3difficulties in providing these essential services for an increasing population.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall explore and research
5the numerous policies that may result in duplicative, excessive, and conflicting responses
6from providers in the process of administering home- and community-based services.
7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall include in its inquiry
8decisions by the department regarding providers of in-home services and any trends
9indicated by these decisions that might negatively impact these providers.
10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall explore strategies that
11would result in a rate of pay to providers of these services that is more reflective of the
12administrative requirements of the service providers.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall examine the numbers
14of providers of home- and community-based services who have left the industry over the last
15decade and determine how to ensure that a sufficient number of providers are available to
16provide these vital services to Louisiana's aging population.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study committee shall submit a written
18report of its findings, including any recommendations for legislation or administrative
19action, to the House Committee on Health and Welfare on or before March 1, 2016, at which
20time legislative authority for the study committee shall terminate.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
22secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals, the state director of AARP Louisiana,
23the chair of the Southern University Department of Social Work, the executive director of
24the Louisiana Councils on Aging, the executive director of the governor's office of elderly
25affairs, the executive director of the Advocacy Center, and the president of the Senate.
Page 3 of 4 HLS 15RS-4595 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 197
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 197 Original 2015 Regular Session Price
Requests the Dept. of Health and Hospitals to establish a study committee on family
caregiving and long-term supports and services, and to report recommendations for
legislative and administrative actions regarding support for family caregivers and other
long-term care providers to the House Committee on Health and Welfare.
Page 4 of 4