Bill > A4574

Introduced Session

This bill expands the oversight and regulation of long-term care facilities and makes an appropriation. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Health (commissioner) is to establish multiple teams of individuals, to be known as a "Mission Critical Long-Term Care Team," which are to be responsible for identifying long-term care facilities for which progressive levels of oversight and direct intervention may be necessary to prevent the decline of health and safety at the facility or the disruption of necessary health care services at the facility. Each Mission Critical Long-Term Care Team is to work collaboratively with long-term care facilities to improve the financial and operating results of the facility with a focus on resident health and safety. Each Mission Critical Long-Term Care Team established by the commissioner is to comprise four individuals with relevant expertise in long-term care administration and management, financial management, nursing care, infection prevention, social work, quality improvement, safety, and continuing professional education. The bill provides that the commissioner is to recruit, hire, train, and retain an additional number of long-term care facility inspectors as is necessary to conduct more frequent and thorough inspections of long-term care facilities with the aim to improve care and safety within long-term care facilities. The bill amends section 1 of P.L.2019, c.243 (C.26:2H-12.87) to provide that a long-term care facility's outbreak response plan, in addition to the current statutory requirements, is to also include: (1) enhanced infection control protocols based on the latest guidance offered by public health officials; (2) protocols for comprehensive training programs on infection control and prevention; and (3) protocols for conducting regular emergency preparedness drills. Finally, the bill appropriates from the General Fund to the Department of Health such funds as are necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.

Committee Categories

Reginald Atkins (D)*,  Barbara McCann Stamato (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee (on 06/13/2024)

Official Document