RCPA Shares Recommendations on HB 1611 Proposed Older Adults Protective Services Act

The Pennsylvania Legislature is considering an update to the Older Adults Protective Services Act (OAPSA), which includes several provisions to impact services, staffing, and regulatory reporting for RCPA members in all of the Department of Human Services arenas.

RCPA and its members strongly support having protections of older Pennsylvanians; however, our recommendations focused on provisions that impact:

• Expanded fingerprinting and background check requirements;
• Hiring flexibility and provider operational responsibilities; and
• Alignment with existing HCBS operational frameworks.

The recommendations highlighted the need for the legislative process to preserve and support access to HCBS services, workforce sustainability, operational feasibility, and continuity of care for older adults in the Commonwealth. The full response can be viewed here.