In response to The Miami Herald’s Neglected to Death exposé of neglect, abuse and substandard care in Florida’s “assisted living” communities, a workgroup established by Gov. Rick Scott has recently completed its work and published its recommendations.

If the recommendations are implemented it will put the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) on a path back to enforcing Florida’s existing laws and regulations, will close down bad operators, will ensure corrective action for any missteps taken by good operators, and will improve the quality of care for all.

A significant number of assisted living communities in Florida are members of the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), the largest national association representing the assisted living industry. We were dumbfounded and dismayed to learn in The Miami Herald series that the state had neither been enforcing its mandate to protect its vulnerable citizens nor aggressively pursuing punitive actions against those who would harm them. If AHCA had been doing its job, some of those operators would have — as they should have — been put out of business and the full weight of the law brought down upon them.

We were also dismayed that The Miami Herald did not differentiate between the private-pay “assisted living” communities for frail elderly seniors (many of whom are represented by my organization) and Medicaid-funded “assisted living” for the mentally ill (which was covered in the Herald series). Although ALFA does not represent those who serve the mentally ill, we are concerned for their well-being and their right to live in community-based settings (as opposed to living in an institution).

However, “assisted living” is most identified in the minds of the public (and in the law in other states) as a residential alternative to nursing homes for the elderly — not a catch-all for other populations — like the mentally ill. The care needs of a frail senior are much different than an individual with mental illness — often younger and more physically healthy.

Yet, in Florida, unlike the vast majority of other states, the communities that provide care for the mentally ill are also licensed as “assisted living” just as those that provide care to frail seniors. This confuses the public.

The vast majority of Florida’s providers for the mentally ill provide quality care. They deserve the thanks and admiration of the public for their commitment and care. However, with the release of the governor’s assisted living workgroup recommendations for improvements in provider requirements and regulatory oversight, Florida officials must now take a serious look at the needs of residents with mental illness who reside in assisted living communities. These communities receive federal and state reimbursement of approximately $33 per day per resident and are responsible for the provision of food, lodging, professional care and other services to meet their residents’ needs.

It would be challenging to board a dog for $33 a day.

Florida’s mentally ill residents deserve more.

It is long past time for Florida to meet the needs of the mentally ill. We urge Gov. Scott to convene a workgroup to examine the needs of the mentally ill, including proper funding and resources. We would also urge a separate licensure category for homes that provide for the special needs of the mentally ill and reserve the “assisted living” licensure category for senior living communities committed exclusively to the care of Florida’s frail elderly citizens.

Richard P. Grimes is president & CEO of the Assisted Living Federation of America.