The people of the state of Washington find as follows:

     (1) Thousands of Washington seniors and persons with disabilities live independently in their own homes, which they prefer and is less costly than institutional care such as nursing homes.

     (2) Many Washington seniors and persons with disabilities currently receive long-term in-home care services from individual providers hired directly by them under the medicaid personal care, community options programs entry system, or chore services program.

     (3) Quality long-term in-home care services allow Washington seniors, persons with disabilities, and their families the choice of allowing seniors and persons with disabilities to remain in their homes, rather than forcing them into institutional care such as nursing homes. Long-term in-home care services are also less costly, saving Washington taxpayers significant amounts through lower reimbursement rates.

     (4) The quality of long-term in-home care services in Washington would benefit from improved regulation, higher standards, better accountability, and improved access to such services. The quality of long-term in-home care services would further be improved by a well-trained, stable individual provider workforce earning reasonable wages and benefits.

     (5) Washington seniors and persons with disabilities would benefit from the establishment of an authority that has the power and duty to regulate and improve the quality of long-term in-home care services.

     (6) The authority should ensure that the quality of long-term in-home care services provided by individual providers is improved through better regulation, higher standards, increased accountability, and the enhanced ability to obtain services. The authority should also encourage stability in the individual provider workforce through collective bargaining and by providing training opportunities.

[2002 c 3 § 1 (Initiative Measure No. 775, approved November 6, 2001).]

NOTES:

     Captions not law -- 2002 c 3 (Initiative Measure No. 775): "Captions used in this act are not any part of the law." [2002 c 3 § 16 (Initiative Measure No. 775, approved November 6, 2001).]

     Severability -- 2002 c 3 (Initiative Measure No. 775): "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [2002 c 3 § 17 (Initiative Measure No. 775, approved November 6, 2001).]