Today the Senate unanimously approved legislation from Sen. Keith Wagoner that would expand the number of available long-term care beds for veterans, simultaneously helping to address Washington’s homelessness crisis while also alleviating the pressure on the medical foster home system.
“So many of our nation’s men and women in uniform serve and sacrifice for this nation, only to come home and find that as they age, they are left behind – without support and too often left to face serious physical or mental health challenges on the streets, without the comfort, security and dignity of a home,” said Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley.
“This is an important bill for helping make sure that our veterans are able to age with dignity in place. At the same time, it also relieves the pressure on resources for other people who are not veterans. This is a federal program, administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, that has been proven to be successful.”
Under Wagoner’s Senate Bill 5200, the state would grant an exemption from the Washington adult family home (AFH) licensure requirements to a medical foster home (MFH) that is under the oversight and annually reviewed by the VA, and when care is provided exclusively to three or fewer veterans.
The bill also requires that the operator of the care facility and its caregivers comply with state laws, including any required training, certification, and background checks. Veterans admitted under this measure would also be added to the state list of vulnerable adults.
Wagoner thanked his colleagues for their unanimous support for his bill, and said that the measure, when approved, will create a win-win for Washington’s veterans and the state, as well as reducing the pressure to find MFH beds and the duplication of state regulatory efforts.
“I think there’re about 140 of these types of homes across the nation in over a dozen states,” said Wagoner. “Providing these waivers will help ensure that we are not doubling up on work and effort at the Department of Health.
“Our primary concern is making sure our aging veterans get the best care possible, with caregivers that meet the most thorough and vigorous standards. Unfortunately, there are several rules in place that actually make it harder to take care of our homeless veterans. This measure will remove some of those barriers and provide another tool in the box to make sure that veterans get the high standard of care that they have earned and deserve in their later years.”
SB 5200 now heads to the House of Representatives for its consideration.