Since January of 2007 there have been over 50 requests for NEW Home Care licenses in Washington State each year. The qualifications required to become an owner, supervisor, or caregiver in a licensed a Home Care Agency are far less rigorous than most people assume. Many licensed agencies do a good job delivering care in private homes. There are however important differences in the management philosophy, management knowledge and experience, the skills and qualifications of caregivers and supervisory personnel, and the type of clients they are comfortable serving. As in all service industries, home care agencies differ in the ways that they offer and deliver service to their customers. They vary not only in service areas, pricing, but in other important ways such as availability, response times, after hours support, and even reliability.
We believe that a decision as important as inviting someone into your home to care for a loved one should be made based on good information, not just the quality of a brochure or the kindness of the person you speak to on the phone. With this in mind we wanted you to know just a few things about Home Care in Washington State.
1. Anyone can own and operate a licensed Home Care Agency if they have:
- A Washington State Criminal Background Check
- Proof of Business License and Liability Insurance, and
- A set of Policies and Procedures that meet Department of Health guidelines
THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT that the owner, manager, or any other employee in a Home Care Agency have training, education, or experience in caregiving, health care, or social services. Policies and Procedures are available for purchase from a number of consultants, and are typically provided when a new provider purchases a franchised business.
2. Anyone can be a caregiver with a licensed Home Care Agency if they have:
- A Washington State Criminal Background Check
- "References checked", and
- Four (4) Hours of HIV/AIDS training
THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT that caregivers have work experience or training in the skills required to care for vulnerable people. First Aid and CPR training is NOT required. Caregivers are NOT required to have a TB test. There is NO requirement that references be related to caregiving, or even work history, and NO requirement that these references are completed prior to placement with clients.
3. Fewer than 25% of Home Care Agencies have a nurse on their staff:
The Washington State Department of Health does NOT require that Home Care Agencies use professional nurses as employees or consultants. As a result, a large majority of Home Care Agencies do NOT benefit from the knowledge, skills, and experience that a Registered or Licensed Nurse brings to client assessments, care planning or case supervision.
4. Some companies listed under Home Care or Home Health Care in various advertising, phone books, and service directories are NOT licensed In Home Care providers:
They are instead referral and placement businesses with NO ongoing responsibilities for the caregiver they have placed or the care of you or your loved one. These companies are employment brokers who assist you in privately hiring a caregiver for a fee. Often their responsibility to the client usually ends once a placement is made. While there are cases where this option can save you some money, it is important to fully understand your relationship with this type of Agency. When you use a Broker Agency, you assume the responsibility to handle payroll and payroll taxes, to plan and supervise the care, to find replacements when your caregiver is sick or on leave, and you are fully responsible for any liability should an accident damage your property, or should any injury occur to your caregiver or your loved one.
It is possible that you were referred to a facility or home care company because someone received a referral fee. Most referral agents working with facilities earn their fee by carefully screening inspecting, and continually rechecking facilities using predefined quality standards and by providing services much like a realtor. We know of no referral agent who undertakes a similar quality review process with home care agencies. Unfortunately some organizations and individuals will only make a referral to those home care providers who have previously agreed to pay a fee to obtain their home care clients.
CareForce has never paid nor received a fee for referrals. The written ethical codes of the ANA (American Nurses Association) and NASW (National Association of Social Workers) prohibit paying or receiving a referral fee unless the referring agent has added significant value to the referral process. If you were referred to CareForce, it is because we have earned the trust of the person who sent you our way, not because they will receive a fee for suggesting that you call CareForce.
