Insufficient Assurances That Board and Care Residents' Needs Are Being Identified and Met

GAO discussed the quality of care provided to board and care home residents. GAO found that: (1) establishment and enforcement of licensing requirements varies among states; (2) state inspections of licensed board and care homes identified serious problems, including physical and sexual abuse and unsanitary conditions; (3) in situations involving poor care, three of the six states reviewed could only deny or revoke a home's license, a time-consuming process that could take up to a year; and (4) the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) does not adequately enforce the Keys Amendment to the Social Security Act, which requires states to certify to HHS that Supplemental Security Income recipients living in board and care homes receive appropriate care.