CONNECTICUT: Consumer Protection Officials Present Audit and Advertising Requirements to Chapter

Last Tuesday, more than 70 home care providers gathered in Rocky Hill for the HCAOA Connecticut Chapter meeting. During the event state Consumer Protection Department officials discussed homemaker-companion registration, the investigations and audit process, and advertising requirements. Commissioner Michelle Seagull discussed the need for providers to obtain a license from the Department of Public Health if they are offering any healthcare-related services and noted recent changes to background check requirements effective Jan. 1, 2022.

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In their presentation, Director of Investigations Pamela Brown and Special Investigator Andrew Barton emphasized several key points, answered questions from providers and left several takeaways, including:

• The importance of HCAs designating, monitoring and keeping current an email address where the Department may contact you.
• The Department responds to anonymous complaints filed with it and will ask providers to respond within 10 days, but does not represent complainants.
• The Department issues a letter or an email after an audit or investigation is complete stating the HCA has addressed the violation, corrected any issues and is now in compliance with the registration requirements, effectively closing the file.
• HCAs should be responsive and transparent and supply DCP with information and documents requested in a timely manner.
• A HCA can advertise that it offers: help with personal hygiene and dressing such as showering and toileting; supervision to ensure client safety; and medication reminders. An agency cannot advertise any memory, Alzheimer’s or dementia care, or that it has specially trained staff.
• The Department is working to develop a mobile inspection app to facilitate investigations on-site and a guide to advertising by HCAs.
• DCP does not plan, at this time, to seek the introduction of legislation requiring FBI criminal background checks and fingerprinting of caregivers.

Dave Harrison, the owner of Right at Home in Old Saybrook and Vice Chair of the Connecticut Chapter, presided over the panel discussion. Following the educational program, HCAOA Executive Director Vicki Hoak provided an update on national issues and the status of home care public policy matters before Congress, such as the Credit for Caring Act, and HCAOA lobbyist Matthew Hallisey discussed several legislative and public policy initiatives and how members can participate in the process through the Chapter.

HCAOA Connecticut is working with DCP officials to present recent changes concerning new background check requirements in a webinar in December.