Families and Veterans

This bill amends Michigan's Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act to strengthen oversight and safety standards for facilities caring for adults. It requires the state department to process licensing applications within six months, with financial penalties for delays, and mandates that applicants undergo criminal history checks through the state police and FBI. The legislation also prohibits concurrent licensing of adult foster care homes as child care homes and bars individuals with specific criminal convictions from holding licenses or having access to residents. New provisions require facilities to conduct annual anonymous resident satisfaction surveys covering areas such as staff empathy, food quality, and safety. Additionally, if unlicensed staff administer medication, the facility must hire a licensed pharmacist or registered nurse to perform semiannual reviews of drug regimens and monitor compliance. These changes take effect only if two companion bills are also enacted into law.

Michigan House Bill 6321 enhances the regulatory standards for adult foster care facilities by requiring the state department to publish online information regarding facility ownership, staff-to-resident ratios, and a five-year history of violations. The bill mandates that facilities post clear complaint procedures and provide new residents with written notices detailing their rights, medication policies, and the distinction between foster care and nursing home services. Additionally, it establishes specific resident rights, including the ability to review health records and past satisfaction surveys, while requiring facilities to maintain a documented internal complaint process that responds to grievances within seven business days.

Michigan House Bill 6322 establishes mandatory training standards for unlicensed direct care staff working in adult foster care facilities. The bill requires new hires to complete specific courses within 120 days of being hired, covering topics such as empathy for the aging process, resident rights, dementia care, and identifying abuse. It also mandates annual continuing education and specialized medication administration training for staff who assist residents with taking their medicines. Facilities must maintain detailed records of all training completion and ensure that no staff member has unsupervised contact with a resident until the required initial courses are finished.

Senate Bill 18 amends the Foster Care and Adoption Services Act to establish new rules for how state and federal benefits are managed for children in foster care. It requires the Department to screen children for benefit eligibility, apply for benefits on their behalf, and generally prohibits using these funds to cover the cost of their foster care. However, benefits may be used for a child's special needs services or conserved for future needs, with appropriate consultation. The bill also mandates financial literacy training for children aged 14 and older, requires regular notification and accounting of benefit use to the child and their guardian, and facilitates the transfer of these assets to the child upon leaving foster care or turning 18.

SB 480 amends Michigan's Child Care Organizations Act to clarify definitions related to staff roles and facility types. The key change lowers the minimum age for certain child care staff members from 18 to 16 years old, specifically for individuals providing unsupervised care or having unsupervised access to children in licensed settings. It also updates definitions for "child care center" (excluding brief religious programs or sports activities) and "child caring institution" (clarifying it excludes hospitals and adult facilities). These changes directly affect licensed child care centers, family child care homes, and their staff members by defining eligibility and responsibilities more precisely. The bill makes no new funding or program requirements - it only refines existing regulatory language.