By Daniel Stefanski |
A bill to improve health care in Arizona is on its way to the Governor’s Office.
On Thursday, the Arizona House of Representatives passed HB 2764, which would “require the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services to establish rules for a licensure subclass for assisted living facilities wishing to provide memory care services” – according to the overview from the chamber. The bill was sponsored by State Representative Tim Dunn.
“The memory care patient population continues to rise in Arizona, and our state needs to be a leader in providing high-quality services,” said Representative Dunn. “HB 2764 ensures that individuals with memory care needs receive the highest standard of compassionate and competent care. It establishes training requirements for memory care services and, importantly, will help cut down on bad actors in the industry. I look forward to Governor Hobbs signing the bill so we can implement these necessary reforms and improvements and raise the standard of care and protection that our most vulnerable citizens deserve.”
In February, the proposal passed the House with a 49-10 vote (with one vacant seat). On Wednesday, the Senate passed an amended version of the bill with a 18-7 vote (with five members not voting). After the legislation was transmitted back for concurrence, the House approved the final piece with a 59-0 vote (with one member not voting).
According to the press release from the Arizona House of Representatives, the bill included the following key provisions:
- The establishment of minimum memory care services training standards for staff and contractors, ensuring they are well-equipped to provide specialized care to residents with dementia and other memory-related conditions.
- The creation of the Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee to evaluate and recommend improvements in care.
- An increase in civil penalties for non-compliance with health care statutes.
- Prohibits bad actor facilities from hiding or erasing violation history.
- Requires employers to ensure staff isn’t on the Adult Protective Services registry which lists persons who have abused or neglected a vulnerable adult.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest Chapter, Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Public Health Association, Arizona Hospital & Healthcare Association, Health System Alliance of Arizona, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Arizona Department of Economic Security, Vitalyst Health Foundation, Arizona Chronic Care Together, and Right Care Foundation, Inc., indicated their support for the bill. Representatives from the Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America, Arizona Assisted Living Homes Association, Arizona Health Care Association, and LeadingAge Association signed in as neutral on the proposal.
The Arizona House Democrats’ Caucus “X” account shared a picture of former State Representative Jennifer Longdon in the chamber to watch the bill receive its final stamp of approval. The account added that “this reform to standards and requirements for licensing health care institutions was borne out of the Ad Hoc Committee on Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable Adults [that Dunn and Longdon] both shared,” and “that committee was formed after the Hacienda Healthcare abuse scandal of 2019.”
HB 2764 now awaits action from Governor Katie Hobbs.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
