Moratorium Sought On New Adult Care Homes Lawmaker Concerned About Health And Safety Elderly, Disabled Residents

A state legislator contends rapid growth in the adult-family-home industry could put residents at risk, and is seeking a 90-day moratorium on licensing of new residences.

Rep. Phil Dyer, R-Issaquah and chairman of the House Health Care Committee, says the move would give operators time to become fully aware of new rules.

The state Department of Social and Health Services says a moratorium won’t necessarily solve problems brought to light by the recent deaths of three residents in a June arson fire at a North Seattle facility.

But Dyer - noting the number of adult family homes has increased 44 percent in the past year - said more deaths could occur unless the rapid growth is halted. He characterized the DSHS response as “excuses we’ve heard many times before.”

“Their reaction doesn’t surprise me,” he said.

“But how many more people are going to die? All I can do is warn them,” he said. “The Legislature will hold that agency responsible.”

DSHS is prepared to handle the proliferation of new homes, said Ralph Smith, assistant secretary for the state division of aging and adult services.

“There would be ways for the bureaucracy to slow down,” Smith said. “The question is, do we want the slowdown?”

All the operators have received copies of the new, slightly tougher health-and-safety regulations that went into effect last month, he said. The state also is holding training sessions to teach operators about the new rules.

About 2,000 adult family homes care for about 8,000 residents in Washington, he said. The facilities are a cheaper alternative to nursing homes for some elderly and disabled people.

The state has revoked the licenses of 27 adult family homes since 1995, said Jan Thompson, an assistant residential care manager for DSHS. Most of the shutdowns stemmed from a lack of basic care for clients, she said.

Dyer suggested the moratorium in a July 19 letter to DSHS, after the June 17 deaths of three developmentally disabled residents of a North Seattle home. No caretaker was present when the fire broke out, and none of the four smoke detectors in the house worked.