HD41 - Status Report: Impact of Assisted Living Facility Regulations


Executive Summary:
[The electronic version of the report was replaced by JLARC on 3/21/07.]

The Appropriation Act requires JLARC to report on the impact of new regulations adopted pursuant to major 2005 legislation on assisted living facilities (ALFs).

This JLARC review provides a "snapshot" of the assisted living industry early in the implementation of the new law and regulations, which phase in between 2005 and 2008.

This review found that 82 percent of the 588 ALFs have no recent history of compliance problems, and 64 percent have no recent verified complaints about care or services. Twenty-three percent of all ALFs, however, have a history of either compliance problems or an above-average number of verified complaints.

While the new law and regulations will improve important elements of quality care such as medication administration and staff training, the problems that low-income residents have in accessing mental health services will not necessarily improve.

New costs also stem from the new law and regulations. These costs will be a particular issue for the estimated 117 ALFs that serve mostly low-income residents because the State auxiliary grant rate is low. These facilities will be challenged by implementation of the new law and regulations.