PRINTER'S NO. 3772
No. 665 Session of 2006
INTRODUCED BY CLYMER, BLAUM, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CRAHALLA,
DALEY, DALLY, DENLINGER, DeWEESE, FABRIZIO, FICHTER,
GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, HARHART, HERSHEY, JAMES, LEH,
MAITLAND, McILHATTAN, R. MILLER, MUSTIO, NAILOR, O'NEILL,
PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PISTELLA, ROBERTS, ROHRER,
RUBLEY, SANTONI, SAYLOR, B. SMITH, SONNEY, STERN,
T. STEVENSON, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TRUE, TURZAI,
WANSACZ, WATSON, WOJNAROSKI, YUDICHAK AND REED, APRIL 3, 2006
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 3, 2006
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
2 conduct a comprehensive study and cost review of personal
3 care home services in Pennsylvania, including the actual
4 costs incurred to operate a personal care home.
5 WHEREAS, There are 1,549 licensed personal care homes within
6 Pennsylvania, both nonprofit and for profit, that serve
7 approximately 50,000 residents; and
8 WHEREAS, Personal care homes are designed to provide safe,
9 humane, comfortable and supportive residential settings for
10 adults who do not require the services in or of a licensed long-
11 term care facility but who require assistance or supervision
12 with activities of daily living; and
13 WHEREAS, The Department of Public Welfare oversees the
14 licensing of personal care homes through licensing regulations
15 in 55 Pa. Code Ch. 2600, which contains the minimum requirements
16 that shall be met to obtain a license to operate a personal care
1 home; and
2 WHEREAS, Personal care home licensing regulations strengthen
3 health and safety protections for personal care home residents
4 based on current information and research and incorporate state-
5 of-the-art program concepts; and
6 WHEREAS, New regulatory requirements contained in 55 Pa. Code
7 Ch. 2600 have imposed additional costs on personal care homes,
8 thus increasing operational costs; and
9 WHEREAS, A comprehensive review of the operational costs
10 incurred by personal care homes has not been conducted; and
11 WHEREAS, A comprehensive review would be beneficial for
12 personal care home operational and administrative purposes;
13 therefore be it
14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
15 Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a
16 comprehensive study and cost review of personal care home
17 services in Pennsylvania, including the actual costs incurred to
18 operate a personal care home; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
20 prepare a report of its findings which, at a minimum, includes:
21 (1) A comparison of the cost of operating a small
22 personal care home, defined as serving eight or fewer
23 residents, and the cost of operating a large personal care
24 home, defined as serving nine or more residents.
25 (2) A comparison of the costs for personal care homes
26 that serve SSI residents and personal care homes that do not.
27 (3) A comparison of the cost of operating both small and
28 large personal care homes prior to and after the
29 implementation of 55 Pa. Code Ch. 2600.
30 (4) Costs determined to be one-time costs and costs
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1 determined to be ongoing, including staff and administrator
2 training costs.
3 (5) Potential effects of the additional regulatory
4 requirements outlined in 55 Pa. Code Ch. 2600 on personal
5 care homes throughout Pennsylvania;
6 and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
8 report all findings, conclusions and recommendations to the
9 House of Representatives within six months of the adoption of
10 this resolution.
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