March 2014_ ALF "Dear Administrator" Letters

March, 2014

ALTSA: ALF #2014-001
FORMAL PHASE OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 388-78A WAC

Dear Assisted Living Facility Administrator and Interested Party:

In August 2013, the department began the rulemaking process to amend sections of Chapter 388-78A Washington Administrative Code (WAC) to support: 1) The health and safety of residents living in residential settings, 2) The consolidation of various Secretary's Lists in ALTSA into a new WAC chapter that provides a uniform background check standard for all caregivers, and 3) The reduction of overall costs to process background checks.

In Chapter 388-78A WAC, the disqualifying criminal convictions have been moved to a new WAC Chapter, with pending charges added.  This requires the amending of the chapter to remove the disqualifying crimes from each applicable section, amend the language to support the reference to the new WAC chapter, and to clarify amendments to the negative actions.

Recently, the department filed the CR-102, a more formal phase of the rule making process. The CR-102, including proposed rule language, is available on the ALTSA website under "Assisted Living Facility Rule Filings", at  http://www.altsa.dshs.wa.gov/professional/bh.htm.

You may either submit comments in person at the public hearing listed below or in writing to the department's Rules and Policies Assistance Unit (RPAU).

The formal hearing for the proposed rules is scheduled:

Date:  April 22, 2014 Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Office Building 2   (DSHS Headquarters)
1115 Washington 
Olympia, WA 98504

You must submit written comments by 5:00 p.m. on April 22, 2014, to the following address or by email to Jennisha Johnson atDSHSRPAURulesCoordinator@dshs.wa.gov

DSHS Rules Coordinator /RPAU
PO Box 45850
Olympia WA, 98504-5850

Directions to Office Building 2 can be found at: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/msa/rpau/RPAU-OB-2directions.html. Public parking is available at 11th and Jefferson streets.

If you have any questions about the proposed rules, please contact Jeanette Childress, Policy Program Manager at (360) 725-2591 or by emailchildjk@dshs.wa.gov.

Sincerely,

E. Irene Owens, Interim Director
Residential Care Services