Bill Text: NJ A4853 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Imposes minimum staffing requirements and certain reporting requirements on certain long-term care facilities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-11-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Senior Services Committee [A4853 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A4853-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex)
Assemblywoman SADAF F. JAFFER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Imposes minimum staffing requirements and certain reporting requirements on certain long-term care facilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning long-term care facilities and amending P.L.1987, c.440 and P.L.2003, c.268.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1987, c.440 (C.26:2M-7) is amended to read as follows:
1.a. The Commissioner of [the Department of] Health shall establish a training program for health care providers in licensed long-term health care facilities [in the] that provide specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's [Disease] disease, which shall include training on memory care therapy. The training program shall include methods to deal with the specific problems encountered in the care of Alzheimer's [Disease] disease patients, including communicating with patients and necessary safety measures.
b. The training program shall be made available, on a voluntary basis, to licensed long-term health care facilities which provide treatment and care to Alzheimer's [Disease] disease patients. Upon request, the [commissioner] Commissioner of Health shall provide the training program at the long-term health care facility.
c. The Commissioner of Health shall establish a minimum number of staff to be employed by a long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114 (C.26:2M-10), which staff shall be trained in providing care to patients with Alzheimer's disease. At least one staff member trained in memory care shall be present at all times in a long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114 (C.26:2M-10).
d. The Commissioner of Health shall require a long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114 (C.26:2M-10), to annually certify compliance with memory care practices, which shall include enrichment activities for patients, under standards promulgated by the commissioner.
e. The Commissioner of Health shall contract with a third-party to review and track the antipsychotic drug administration practices of long-term care facilities to determine if those facilities excessively prescribe antipsychotic medication to patients with Alzheimer's disease in a manner that is harmful to those patients, as determined by a consensus of physicians with expertise in the administration of antipsychotic medication and Alzheimer's disease. The Commissioner of Health shall create a publicly available report summarizing data collected on the usage of antipsychotic medication by long-term care facilities and issue a plan for corrective action to a long-term care facility that is deemed to excessively prescribe antipsychotic medication to patients with Alzheimer's disease in a manner that is harmful to those patients.
(cf: P.L.1987, c.440, s.1)
2. Section 1 of P.L.2003, c.268 (C.26:2M-7.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. A long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114 (C.26:2M-10), shall:
a. compile and maintain daily records for each shift in the facility and provide to a member of the public, upon request, information that indicates for each shift, as appropriate:
(1) the number of nurses, including the aggregate total of registered professional nurses and licensed practical nurses, providing direct care to patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders; and
(2) the number of certified nurse aides providing direct care to patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders; [and]
b. provide a member of the public seeking placement of a person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders in the facility with a clear and concise written list that indicates:
(1) the activities that are specifically directed toward patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, including, but not limited to, those designed to maintain dignity and personal identity, enhance socialization and success, provide enrichment, and accommodate the cognitive and functional ability of a patient;
(2) the frequency of the activities listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(3) the safety policies and procedures and any security monitoring system that is specific to patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders ; and
c. provide an annual report to the Department of Health containing data on the administration of antipsychotic mediation to patients with Alzheimer's disease, as determined by the department.
(cf: P.L.2003, c.268, s.1)
3. The Commissioner of Health shall adopt rules and regulations, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill imposes minimum staffing requirements and certain reporting requirements on certain long-term care facilities.
Under the bill, the Commissioner of Health (commissioner) is to establish a training program for health care providers in licensed long-term health care facilities that provide specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease, which is to include training on memory care therapy.
Under the bill, the commissioner is to establish a minimum number of staff to be employed by a long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, which staff is to be trained in providing care to patients with Alzheimer's disease. At least one staff member trained in memory care is to be present at all times in a long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The commissioner is to require a long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders to annually certify compliance with memory care practices, which is to include enrichment activities for patients, under standards promulgated by the commissioner.
Under the bill, the commissioner is to contract with a third-party to review and track the antipsychotic drug administration practices of long-term care facilities to determine if those facilities excessively prescribe antipsychotic medication to patients with Alzheimer's disease in a manner that is harmful to those patients, as determined by a consensus of physicians with expertise in the administration of antipsychotic medication and Alzheimer's disease. The commissioner is to create a publicly available report summarizing data collected on the usage of antipsychotic medication by long-term care facilities and issue a plan for corrective action to a long-term care facility that is deemed to excessively prescribe antipsychotic medication to patients with Alzheimer's disease in a manner that is harmful to those patients.
The bill provides that a long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders is to provide an annual report to the Department of Health containing data on the administration of antipsychotic mediation to patients with Alzheimer's disease, as determined by the department.
