The Workforce Safety Work Group, cochaired by Tracy Wodach and Sasa, reviewed the first draft of a report on implementation issues for Public Act 24/19 (often discussed alongside “SB 1”) and agreed to clarify the report’s focus on home health care and to form smaller working subgroups to refine recommendations.

Wodach opened the meeting by urging a quick finish: “We look for a very, productive discussion, and our hope is that we can come to some agreement by the end of today so that we can get to a ... report to be able to submit to public health committee, before the end of January.” Sasa added she had “thank[ed] everyone on this group for their contributions, time, and insight over the past couple of months.”

The group agreed to add explicit scope language — a clearer title or subheading that reads something like “home health care workforce safety” — after several members noted the draft at points read as if it addressed all health‑care settings. Kim and others asked that the opening paragraph specify the group is addressing home‑based care and not clinics, hospitals or ambulatory settings.

Participants also set a near‑term plan to split substantive work into smaller groups. Wodach and Sasa said they would convene follow‑up sessions within the week to form teams focused on: standardized training, risk‑assessment tools, and data‑collection/disclosure practices. The larger group tentatively identified January 21 as a follow‑up date; Wodach and Sasa said they would “be in touch with all of you” by email to finalize scheduling.

Why it matters: Members repeatedly said the group’s recommendations will inform how the state implements parts of Public Act 24/19 (SB 1) that require intake screening, reporting and workplace‑safety measures for home‑based providers. Several providers warned that statutory requirements that lack funding or clear operational details could reduce timely access to home care.

Next steps described at the meeting included: (1) Wodach and Sasa organizing smaller technical groups to meet within a week; (2) drafting clarified scope language for the report’s opening paragraph and title/subheading; and (3) returning the full group for a reconvened meeting in mid to late January to review subgroup work.