Residential care facilities for the elderly.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of residential care facilities for the elderly by the State Department of Social Services. A violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor. Existing law requires the administrator designated by the licensee to be present at the facility during normal working hours and requires a facility manager, as defined, to be responsible for the operation of the facility when the administrator is temporarily absent from the facility. This bill would require that at least one administrator, facility manager, or designated substitute who is at least 21 years of age and has adequate qualifications, as specified, be on the premises of the facility 24 hours per day. The bill would also require the facility to employ, and the administrator to schedule, a sufficient number of staff members, as prescribed. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations to require staff members who assist residents with personal activities of daily living to receive appropriate training, which consists of 10 hours of training within the first 4 weeks and 4 hours annually thereafter. Existing law requires that the training include specified topics. This bill would require that this training also include building and fire safety and the appropriate response to emergencies. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1569.625 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by AB 1570 that would become operative if this bill and AB 1570 are both enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.