Arizona Home Care Consumers Now Entitled to More Information
Arizona home care consumers who receive care from private agencies are entitled to receive information about criminal background checks and training, according to a law that took effect July 15, the Prescott Daily Courier reported.
Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed S.B. 1401 (pdf) in April.
The law requires home care agencies to annually disclose to consumers:
- Whether criminal background checks have been performed on their home care worker
- A description of the training that their home care worker has received
- The name of their home care worker’s manager or supervisor, as well as the agency’s hiring and firing policies
- A full description of the services provided by the home care agencies, including the cost of those services
- A full description of the agency’s services agreements
Failure to comply with the law is classified as a Class 3 misdemeanor, punishable with a maximum 30-day jail sentence and a $500 fine.
“Almost all Arizonans wish to remain in their own homes as they age — and most do — but many need personal non-medical services in order to help them along the way,” State Sen. Nancy Barto (R) told Your West Valley News on July 11.
“S.B. 1401 ensures they and their loved ones have more information about who they hire to provide in-home services,” Barto, who sponsored the bill, continued.
— by Matthew Ozga
