Are you a California home care provider agency? If so, a new law enacted by the State of California requires you to obtain a $10,000 surety bond. California Assembly Bill 782, dubbed the Home Care Services Consumer Protection Act (HCSCPA), takes effect January 1, 2016. Commercial surety bonds help guarantee that vendors will comply with local statute or court-mandated requirements. The intent of AB 782 is to help prevent abuse and neglect by home care providers and the bond requirement provides financial indemnity for damages caused by improper conduct of the home care practitioners. These new regulations were implemented to benefit the home care industry by helping to ensure the competency of today’s home care workers and eliminate unscrupulous providers. The bill defines Home Care Agency as: “An individual, 18 years of age or older, firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, joint venture, association, or other entity that arranges for home care services by an affiliated home care aide to a client and is licensed.”Other requirements to the law in addition to the California dishonesty bond include:

  • Licensing of all home care agencies in accordance with Section 1, Article 6 of the HCSCPA.
  • Requiring that home care agencies both general liability and professional liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage.
  • Completing background checks for each home care aid.
  • Requiring a minimum of five hours of new hire training, two hours of orientation training and five hours of annual competency instruction.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) must now maintain a home care registry. An organization that arranges home care services by an affiliated home care aide to assist clients in activities of daily living must be licensed and comply with this new law. Further, all home care services aides must apply for registration in this registry. CDSS is still developing the application so refer to HCSCPA frequently asked questions if you need further information. The California Home Care Services Dishonesty Bond and application paperwork should be submitted to:

California Home Care Services Bureau
744 P Street, MS T8-3-90
Sacramento, CA 95814

As California’s population ages, the need for highly competent home care workers has never been greater. As a home care services provider, you provide an important service to California consumers. As one of California’s top surety providers, Surety One, Inc. will quickly and skillfully assist you in your bonding requirement.

California’s surety leader, Surety One, Inc., specializes in surety bonds and fidelity bonds for the health care sector. Do you operate in multiple states? No problem! Bonding is available throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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