This bill addresses congregate care programs.
This bill:
- defines terms;
- creates the Congregate Care Advisory Committee (committee);
- authorizes and directs the Office of Licensing (office), in consultation with the committee, to:
set minimum safety requirements for congregate care programs;review proposed admissions criteria that a program submits in connection with an application for or renewal of licensure;deny or accept a program's proposed admissions criteria;
- creates the position of congregate care ombudsman (ombudsman);
- authorizes and directs the ombudsman to receive and investigate reports regarding congregate care programs;
- creates the Licensed Provider Civil Money Penalty Fund;
- denies direct access qualified status for certain individuals;
- establishes requirements for congregate care programs, including that the programs:adopt admissions criteria by which to determine whether an individual child is a qualified candidate for the program;maintain a list of a child's authorized contacts who may contact the child if the child is in crisis;notify the authorized contacts and the parent or guardian of a child who is in crisis;post notice within the program regarding the ombudsman;provide a dedicated telephone from which a child or staff may contact the ombudsman at any time;provide disclosures to a child, the child's parent or guardian, and the child's authorized contacts;
- establishes responsibility for payment to a health care facility that provides services to a child, including transportation costs; and
- establishes whistleblower protections for individuals who report a concern to, or who facilitate or cooperate with, the ombudsman; and
- makes technical changes.Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26B-1-204, 26B-1-334, 26B-2-101, 26B-2-104, 26B-2-107, 26B-2-120, 26B-2-124
Substitute #1: 26B-1-204, 26B-1-334, 26B-2-101, 26B-2-104, 26B-2-107, 26B-2-120, 26B-2-124, 26B-2-709
Substitute #2: 26B-1-204, 26B-1-334, 26B-2-101, 26B-2-104, 26B-2-107, 26B-2-120, 26B-2-124, 26B-2-709
Substitute #3: 26B-1-204, 26B-1-334, 26B-2-101, 26B-2-104, 26B-2-107, 26B-2-120, 26B-2-124, 26B-2-709
Substitute #4: 26B-1-204, 26B-1-334, 26B-2-101, 26B-2-104, 26B-2-107, 26B-2-120, 26B-2-124, 26B-2-709
Enrolled: 26B-1-204, 26B-1-334, 26B-2-101, 26B-2-104, 26B-2-107, 26B-2-120, 26B-2-124, 26B-2-709
Amended 3/5/2025 15:03:638: 26B-1-204, 26B-1-334, 26B-2-101, 26B-2-104, 26B-2-107, 26B-2-120, 26B-2-124, 26B-2-709
Substitute #5: 26B-1-204, 26B-1-334, 26B-2-101, 26B-2-104, 26B-2-107, 26B-2-120, 26B-2-124, 26B-2-709