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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
group home monitoring program
Purpose
Extends, permanently, the Developmental Disabilities Group Home Monitoring Program (Program) past the three-year pilot period and modifies Program requirements.
Background
Laws 2022, Chapter
316 established the Developmental Disabilities Group Home Monitoring Pilot
Program (Pilot Program) within the Department of Economic Security (DES) until
January 1, 2027, and requires DES to contract with the entity designated to
operate the protection and advocacy system for persons with developmental
disabilities in Arizona (designated entity) to conduct the Pilot Program. As
part of the Pilot Program, DES must establish an expedited referral system to
forward quality-of-care complaints to the designated entity for investigation. The
designated entity must monitor group homes that serve clients with complex
needs and investigate quality-of-care complaints concerning a DES-funded group
home. If the designated entity substantiates an allegation, the information
must be shared with DES, the service provider and the Independent Oversight
Committee on Persons with Developmental Disabilities
(DDD-IOC). The designated entity must report to the Governor and the
Legislature on observations and outcomes, the quality of services provided and
recommendations for improvements by January 1, 2026. The Pilot Program is set
to repeal on January 1, 2027 (A.R.S.
ยง 36-3595.03).
If there is a cost associated with permanently continuing the Program past its three-year pilot period, there may be a fiscal impact to the state General Fund.
Provisions
1. Extends the Program, permanently, past the three-year pilot period.
2. Requires DES to collaborate with the designated entity to operate the protection and advocacy system for persons with developmental disabilities.
3. Requires, beginning January 1, 2026, the designated entity to monitor group homes that provide services to clients with complex needs to determine whether each:
a) behavior treatment plan in place is compliant with DES rules; and
b) group home is compliant with applicable incident reporting policies, including documenting and reporting physical interventions and any other emergency measures taken.
4. Requires, beginning January 1, 2026, the designated entity to complete group home investigations for monitoring reviews that identified significant compliance or quality of care concerns, including notifying and collaborating with the DES Division of Developmental Disabilities on additional follow-up to ensure that compliance standards are met and sustained.
5. Removes the requirement that the designated entity determine whether all physical interventions used by a group home's staff have complied with each client's behavioral treatment plan and applicable state laws.
6. Requires the designated entity, by January 1, 2026, to review and analyze, rather than investigate, quality of care complaints concerning group homes.
7. Requires DES to provide the designated entity with access to all information necessary to verify service compliance.
8. Requires the designated entity, by each December 31, to report observations and outcomes of the Program to the:
a) Governor;
b) President of the Senate;
c) Speaker of the House of Representatives;
d) Secretary of State; and
e) DDD-IOC.
9. Requires DES to report to the designated entity, on a quarterly basis, the actions taken in response to the identified issues and recommendations received from the designated entity, as well as the results of those actions, and post the report on the DES website.
10. Repeals the Pilot Program.
11. Makes technical and conforming changes.
12. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 17, 2025
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