Thousands of seniors and people with disabilities receive care and supports from home care workers. Home care services ensure that individuals can live independently and with dignity in their own homes. The overall quality of care for consumers, as well as careers for caregivers, are undermined by industry fragmentation and insufficient oversight and enforcement in this growing part of Oregon’s long-term care sector.

SB 669 will:

• Establish a single regulatory structure under Oregon Health Authority (OHA) for oversight of any private business that provides home care.  All private providers of home care should be subject to the same standards and requirements.
• Align training standards for private agency home care with those required for home care workers through Oregon Home Care Commission.  Consumers and workers should be able to depend on consistent training across home care programs.
• Enforce care and labor standards through OHA’s licensing and inspection powers.  Private home care agencies that do not meet basic standards should be held accountable.
• Improve transparency in the industry by requiring private home care agencies to submit documentation and disclose information; and allowing OHA make certain information public to assist consumers with selecting home care agencies..  The public and the state should be able to access basic information about agencies providing this important service.
• Expand penalties for violations, including civil fines for retaliation and revocation of licensure for defying established industry standards.  Enforcement should be strong enough to deter agencies from violating rules.