Nov 19, 2002 By Patty Shultz 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – The city plans to reinstate regulations relating to the care of those who are elderly, sick or disabled, despite opposition by the city health officer and health board. Representatives of council and health board, along with one personal care home administrator and a concerned resident, met Monday to review an outline of an ordinance aimed at regulating and licensing nursing and personal care homes along with boarding and group homes.

Councilman John Whalen is framing the guidelines he said would protect those depending on the care of others.

“This is something that is needed here in the city,” he said. “I realize right now we only have three (personal care homes), but who is to say next year we have 20 or so.”

Because the city lacks any regulating authority, the number of boarding or group homes are unknown, added Whalen.

Currently, the state Department of Public Welfare (DPW) inspects and licenses the homes.

“That’s who should continue to do it,” said Loretta Lint, president of the city board of health of the state overseeing the agencies. “(The health board) does not want to do this.”

Lint said previous entanglements with the state led to the repealing of a local ordinance that allowed for health officer Rita Bornstein to inspect the personal care homes and make recommendations to the state as to licensing of the businesses.

“It didn’t matter what we said or why we said it, (the state) still issued a provisional license that allowed the personal care home to operate,” said Lint. “It is not going to change.”

City resident Fritz Rulli said he has family members in area personal care homes and believes the DPW is “doing a good job.”

“I’ve made two reports to the state in the past 15 years and both times they responded almost immediately,” said Rulli. “

Both Rulli and Lint said that the DPW is updating its regulations that will impose more stringent guidelines on those operating such facilities across the state. The rules include stipulations regarding who is permitted to dispense medications to residents of the homes.

“You are creating an albatross for the city,” said Rulli.

Lint, meanwhile, said the city needs would be better served if council would implement an ordinance requiring those caring for children, such as daycare centers and foster homes, to register with the city.

“We have no idea where these homes are at,” she said.

Whalen said he favored the recommendation and asked that the health board initiate action on a proposal for council to review, as his proposal did not cover such agencies.

Meanwhile, Whalen said he would present his ordinance to council in December. Afterwards, the public will have 60 days to make comment on its content before it would receive final approval.