Pennsylvania Code
Pennsylvania Code & Bulletin
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

• No statutes or acts will be found at this website.

The Pennsylvania Bulletin website includes the following: Rulemakings by State agencies; Proposed Rulemakings by State agencies; State agency notices; the Governor’s Proclamations and Executive Orders; Actions by the General Assembly; and Statewide and local court rules.

PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 09-2286

NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Information Applicable to Licensure Under 28 Pa. Code Chapter 611, Home Care Agencies and Home Care Registries

[39 Pa.B. 7063]
[Saturday, December 12, 2009]

 The regulations governing licensure for home care agencies (HCAs) and home care registries (HCRs) effective December 12, 2009, is published at 39 Pa.B. 6958 (December 12, 2009).

 HCAs and HCRs, as defined in the regulations, must now be licensed by the Department of Health (Department) to provide home care services to individuals in their homes or other independent living environments.

 Home care services include:

 • Assistance with self-administered medications

 • Personal care such as assistance with personal hygiene, dressing and feeding

 • Homemaking such as assistance with household tasks housekeeping, shopping, meal planning and preparation and transportation

 • Companionship

 • Respite care such as assistance and support provided to the family

 • Other non-skilled services

 An entity that is currently operating a HCA or HCR, or both, may continue to operate provided it submits an application for a license to the Department no later than February 10, 2010. An entity that is currently operating a HCA or HCR that has submitted an application for licensure may continue to operate until such date as the Department may refuse the application for licensure. If the Department grants the application for licensure, the home care agency and/or home care registry may continue to operate in accordance with the requirements of the regulations at 28 Pa. Code Chapter 611.

 An entity that is established after the effective date of the regulations must obtain a license prior to providing home care services.

 Application packets may be obtained by contacting the Division of Home Health at (717) 783-1379 and supplying a mailing address, and the Division will mail the packet to the address supplied. Alternatively, application packets may be obtained electronically. The applicant should go to http://www.health.state.pa.us and click on the left side navigation bar titled ''Facilities, Providers & Managed Care Plans'' then click the navigation bar titled ''Home Care Licensure Information.''

 The Department's web site contains additional information and links that may be helpful to the applicant. The Department's web site contains a document addressing Frequently Asked Questions which may be accessed at http://www.health.state.pa.us by clicking on the left side navigation bar titled ''Facilities, Providers & Managed Care Plans'' then clicking on the navigation bar titled ''Home Care Agencies/Home Care Registries'' which contains a document link for ''Frequently Asked Questions about Home Care Agencies/Home Care Registries.'' The applicant can also contact the Department for a copy of the document which will be included in the application packet.

 To access information pertaining to criminal background checks, go to http://www.aging.state.pa.us, or contact the Department of Aging, Criminal History Background Check Unit at (717) 265-7887. To access information pertaining to child abuse clearances, go to www.dpw.state.pa.us, or contact the Department of Public Welfare, ChildLine at (717) 783-6211.

 Persons with questions or who would like more information regarding home care agencies, home care registries, and/or the HCA/HCR licensure program, contact the Division of Home Health at (717) 783-1379.

 Persons with a disability who require an alternative format of this notice (for example, large print, audiotape, Braille) should contact Janice Staloski, Director, Bureau of Community Program Licensure and Certification, 132 Kline Plaza, Suite A, Harrisburg, PA 17104, (717) 783-8665, or for speech and/or hearing impaired persons V/TT (717) 783-6514, or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984.

EVERETTE JAMES, 
Secretary

 (Editorial Note: For a rulemaking relating to this notice, see 39 Pa.B. 6958 (December 12, 2009).)

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 09-2286. Filed for public inspection December 11, 2009, 9:00 a.m.]


No part of the information on this site may be reproduced for profit or sold for profit.

This material has been drawn directly from the official Pennsylvania Bulletin full text database. Due to the limitations of HTML or differences in display capabilities of different browsers, this version may differ slightly from the official printed version.