Help for the Helpless

Serious abuses remain uncorrected in many of the state’s board-and-care homes, according tothe Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy--better known as the Little Hoover Commission. The criticism comes a year after the commission issued a report describing serious problems in an estimated 10% to 30% of the facilities.

There are about 22,000 privately operated board-and-care homes licensed by the state, with close to 150,000 residents--six to a home. Many residents are maintained at public expense. Those using the homes cannot live independently because they are elderly, mentally ill or retarded.

Some of these community residential-care facilities provide good services. Some do not.The commission has found that many residents are still being mistreated. Some are left unattended, some are improperly fed, and some facilities are overcrowded, lack working toiletsand adequate fire escapes.

A dozen bills supported by the state watchdog commission, including four already introduced, would help correct the abuses. They would triple fines for unlicensed homes, speed license revocations and allow local authorities to cite violators as well as to enforce state regulations.

This legislative approach is not the first proposed by the watchdog panel. A report on problems in the state’s 1,200 nursing homes also resulted in a package of bills passed by the Legislature during the previous session but vetoed by Gov. George Deukmejian. Now the governor has indicated his willingness to support the nursing-home reforms, and the legislation is moving quickly.

Experience has shown that there is no substitute for this legislative approach. Better control of nursing homes now seems assured. The same concern is needed for the board-and-care homes. The proposed laws could help some of the state’s most helpless in the only places that they can call home.