The Coalition sought to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each approach so that it could construct the best system for improving quality and balance the legitimate interests of the various parties concerned. Define the assisted living market by creating minimum standards. Establish licensure requirements for admission to the market. Protect public welfare and safety by assuring that compliance with minimum standards is monitored. Enforce standards and impose penalties, when necessary, on providers whose performance is inadequate.
State regulation is indispensable.
State regulatory systems are best equipped to oversee this process because states have unique legal authority in the areas of licensure and enforcement. However, critics complain that many regulatory structures do not assure or promote quality in assisted living. Because of these perceived state regulatory shortcomings, some providers have expressed interest in establishing a private accreditation process administered by a national quality organization. Attempts to accredit segments of the long-term care industry have typically reached only a small minority of settings and have limited effect on the quality of services in the vast majority of cases. The information gathered in the accreditation process is proprietary and therefore not generally disclosed to consumers, regulators, or other interested parties.