Legislative Reform For Elderly Care Homes Ac Of 2014

LEGISLATORS UNVEIL THE RCFE REFORM ACT OF 2014

SACRAMENTO – On January 13, 2014, California legislators appeared at a news conference at the State Capitol to unveil the bills that are to make up the RCFE Reform Act of 2014. The bills address the ongoing mistreatment and abuse faced by residents in assisted-living facilities known as Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (“RCFE”) (facilities that are an intermediate step between independent living and nursing homes.) These bills come after the news of widespread regulatory violations and neglect of elderly residents in RCFE’s in the past year. The bills, in large part, are in direct response to the scandals reported at Valley Springs Manor in Castro Valley, in which 19 elderly residents were abandoned by their care home owner.

The Reform Act will consist of 11 new bills that include:

• Increasing fines from the maximum of $150;

• Increasing the frequency of inspections of RCFE from once every five years to once a year and making the inspections more comprehensive;

• Establish an on-line consumer information system;

• Mandatory liability coverage for the licensees;

• Bans on dangerous facilities posing danger to its residents; and

• Enhanced staffing and increased training for RCFE.

The Bill also provides for increased protection of relocation of residents and increased resident rights. At McMahan Law, the attorneys are experienced in prosecuting cases involving abuse and neglect suffered by the elderly in assisted-living facilities. We have successfully litigated cases against Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly, and we have the understanding and skill necessary to get you the results you deserve.