Bill > S1823

Introduced Session

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.

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Angela Mcknight (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document