Mililani care home fined $117K for operating without a license

The state Health Department has fined Emmy’s Care Home LLC in Mililani a penalty of $117,000 for operating an adult residential care home without a license.

The department’s Office of Health Care Assurance said the care home on Kaholo Street was formerly licensed up to July 31, 2022.

Officials investigated the home after the closure, and discovered that the operator, Emalyn Esteban, was still operating it without a valid license.

An adult residential care home — or ARCH — is defined as any facility that provides 24-hour living accommodations for a fee to unrelated adults who require minimal assistance in daily activities, personal care, and other services, but not those of a skilled nursing facility.

Hawaii law requires all such care homes to be licensed, officials said, to ensure the health, safety and welfare of residents in those homes.

Health officials issued Esteban a notice of violation and order, requiring her to cease and desist operation plus pay the penalty. The amount of $117,000 was based on a $1,000 fine for each day the unlicensed home was in operation after it received a notice of non-renwal of licensure to the date all residents were transferred.

Esteban has 20 days from the date of receipt of the notice of violation and order to submit a written request for a hearing.