Certification..the Next Best Thing

For a few years now, CAHSAH, the lobbying arm of the home care industry in California, has been working with a State legislator to try to get a law passed requiring home care providers in California to be licensed by the State.

"That's strange," you say..."An industry lobbying group that wants its industry regulated?"

You see, in California, anyone can become an in-home care provider agency. All that's needed is a business license. The result of this non-regulation is that there are well over 200 home care agencies in San Diego County alone. Many of them operate without any liability or workers' compensation insurance, without written customer contracts, and without doing any type of screening or background checks on their caregivers. A large number are just referral agencies that don't really employ their caregivers or pay any payroll taxes -- that often leaves the customer holding the bag.

Since last February, the bill that would have regulated home care agencies in California, AB 853 (Jones) has been placed on inactive status. It seems the main sticking point is the cost entailed in creating and running an oversight agency that would enforce the provisions of the bill.

Late last month, CAHSAH announced the next best thing -- its own certification program for Home Care Aide Organizations. The program requires agencies to present annual proof that they employ their caregivers, that they have adequate amounts of liability and workers' compensation insurance, that they are bonded, do proper criminal background checks, and have both written client agreements and written pricing information.

Yesterday I received notification that our agency has been one of the first designated as a Certified Home Care Aide Organization by CAHSAH. It's not the perfect solution to California's need for regulation of the home care industry, but in my book it's the next best thing.