HB96--OFFICEOFSTATEOVERSIGHTFORRESIDENTIALCAREFACILITIES
SPONSOR: Ealy
ThisbillestablisheswithintheDepartmentofSocialServicesthe
"OfficeofStateOversightforResidentialCareFacilities"forthe
purposeofassessingfacilitycompliancewithlaws,rules,and
regulationsoftheFederalandStategovernments. TheOfficeis
administeredbyadirectorwhoisappointedbytheGovernor,serves
atermofsixyears,andcannotberelatedtocurrentorformer
employeesorcontractorsofaresidentialcarefacilityorofthe
Children'sDivisionwithintheDepartment,asspecifiedinthe
bill.
Thebilldescribesvariousresponsibilities oftheOfficeasit
relatestothehealthandsafetyofchildrenresidinginthe
facility,including,butnotlimitedto,theestablishmentof
procedurestocompleteinspectionsandinvestigatecomplaints,as
wellasprovisionstosummarizefacilityofferingsandtomake
recommendations tofacilitiesforimprovement.
Within30daysofacompletedinspection,residentialcare
facilitiesarerequiredtosubmitareporttotheOffice,which
includesanycorrectiveactionplanforeachrecommendation.
ThebillstipulatesthattheOfficemusthaveaccesstoseveral
locationswithinresidentialcarefacilities,whicharespecified
inthebill.Additionally,theOfficewillhaveaccesstoareas
withinthefacilityinordertoverifywhetherstaff-to-child
ratiosarebeingmaintained,andthisauthorityincludesthe
abilitytointerviewanychildresidinginthefacility,an
employeeorcontractorofthefacility,oranyoneelseinvolved
withthefacility.
ThisbillauthorizestheOfficetoaccess,inspect,andcopyany
relevantinformation,records,ordocumentsinpossessionofa
facilitythatisconsiderednecessaryinthecourseofan
investigationtodeterminethefacility'scompliancewith
applicablerulesandregulations. Thebillalsoestablishesa
provisionincasesofrestrictedorprivilegedinformationanda
timeframebywhichafacilitymustassisttheOfficeinobtaining
anynecessaryreleases.
ThebillrequirestheOfficetoestablishconfidentiality rulesand
proceduresforallinformationthatisobtainedbytheOfficein
ordertoensuretheprivacyofachildisprotected.
Thisbillalsospecifiesprovisionsforwhatinformationis
requiredtobeincludedininspectionreportsforallresidential carefacilities. TheOfficeisalsorequiredtoreviewprocedures
oftheChildren'sDivisiontodetermineifsuchproceduresare
adequateastheyrelatetocomplaintsmadebyoronbehalfofa
child.Forthisreviewprocess,thebillestablishesparameters
fortheauthoritygrantedtotheOffice.Uponcompletionofsucha
review,theOfficeisrequiredtosubmitandmakepublicareport,
whichmustalsobedeliveredtotheGovernor,theAttorneyGeneral,
andbothhousesoftheGeneralAssembly.
ThisbillissimilartoHB2677(2024).