House Bill 2260- Please Read
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It is time for Assisted Living Homes to speak up and educate the public about the hard work and amazing care they provide.
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Arizo
na Healthcare Professionals should work together, not against each other. Hundreds of Assisted Living Facilities, Residents and their families in Arizona are concerned about
HB2260
(READ THE BILL). A Bill sponsored by Representative Kern and supported by many local Fire Departments. Many of the local Associations & Organizations advocating for Older Adults attended the stakeholders meeting February 7, 2020 and opposed this Bill.
(
AZ Leading Age
,
AZALFA
,
AALHA
,
FSL
,
ACHA
,
INtouch
) Most of them
believe if this Bill is passed it will
DEVASTATE THE ASSISTED LIVING INDUSTRY!
For a list of votes for or against visit azleg.gov
(HB2260)
The Assisted Living Industry Poll has over 500+ votes opposing this bill and 50+comments.
Current News
HB2260 scheduled for Committee February 20, 2020.
(Agenda)
Who does the Bill Address
?
“
A. SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES, ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS, ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, ADULT FOSTER CARE HOMES, GROUP HOMES, RESIDENTIAL CARE INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER SIMILAR HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS AS PRESCRIBED IN RULE BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND ASSIGNS HAVE AN AFFIRMATIVE DUTY TO CARE FOR THEIR RESIDENTS.”
The bill is written in a way to expect the non-medical facilities like Assisted Living Homes in Arizona to access if a resident is uninjured prior to calling 911. Only Skilled Nursing Facilities have RN’s on staff 24/7 to access the level of an injury. This is only possible if every facility hires an RN 24/, which will cost a minimum of $20,000/month and $241,000 a year. Times that with 1800+ Assisted Living Homes, 55 Adult Foster Care Homes, 137 Adult Behavioral Therapeutic Homes, 1200 Group Homes and many of the 317 Assisted Living Centers, were talking about an increase of over $725,000,000!
That’s over 7 Million dollars increase a year for Assisted Living Facilities!
All Assisted Living Homes, Adult Foster Care Homes, Adult Behavioral Therapeutic Homes, Group Homes and many of the Assisted Living Centers will be forced to close their doors and the 51,000+ beds available to Older Adults needing affordable housing will
disintegrate
. This bill will cause more than 40,000 Older Adults living in Arizona to relocate to a SNF? Who will then be responsible for the Transitional Trauma and deaths that will occur? Thousands of Caregivers unemployed? Thousands of small businesses closed. Older Adults have a right to choose where they want to live based on their needs, their likes, and their budget. They paid taxes and many of them fought for this country. We cannot take away their right to a 911 call.
This is not speculation or a theory from an individual, this is over 500 Assisted Living Professionals, Residents or their Families opposing this bill in its entirety.
In reviewing this bill and attending the stakeholders meeting I observed that this bill is based on rumors that ALH's have No Lift policies and don't perform CPR. But I don't have any statistivs supporting their statements. Assisted Living Homes do not call 911 when a resident in on Hospice, when a Resident can communicate that they are ok. ALH’s have many resources they use, Hoyer’s, 2 person transfers, Mobile Urgent Care. Mobile Doctors order labs and x-rays. I wish that the ones supporting this bill would have reached out to the many organizations/associations in Arizona advocating for this Industry. Gaile Dixon with the Arizona Assisted Living Homes Association started attending the EMS Meeting and offered a presentation on Falls in Assisted Living, but sadly was denied. Many states and large centers DO have a NO LIFT policy not just for liability but to prevent the many injuries on their staff.
As an aging specialist in this Industry for 10+ years I have never seen a no lift policy in any Assisted Living Home in Arizona.
The Bill
Section 1
All Caregivers in Arizona are Certified to provide CPR & First Aid, which is already mandated by the Arizona Department of Health Services
R9-10-806A-10
, and NCIA Board
R4-33-403B-3
.
CPR & First Aid Certification covers the Good Samaritan Law, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, AED, First Aid, Wounds, Heart, Fractures, Burns, Poisoning, Hemorrhages, Chocking, Injuries and Shock and instructs all students to Call 911 then perform CPR until the
person exhibits signs of life or
a trained Medical Responder arrives on scene
.
If a medical professional does not assess someone after a fall, facilities get blamed for not calling 911.
Section 2
“To provide recovery assistance” that isn’t already trained through the CPR & First Aid Certification is beyond the scope of practice for Caregivers to access if a fallen resident is injured or noninjuÂred “before the arrival of Emergency Medical Services.” A RN, NP or Doctor are the only medical professionals licensed to do medical assessments. The Arizona Department of Health Services requires all Assisted Living Homes to immediately call the Residents Representative and Primary Care Physician
R9-10-818D
. “To be certified in Fall Recovery”, falls under the existing CPR & First Aid Certification. Or is it asking the state of Arizona to create and implement a new certification?
Is this Bill asking the Assisted Living Industry to put Older Adults health and Safety at risk and certify caregivers to do medical assessments?
Section 3
We are unaware of any Assisted Living Homes implementing policies to prevent employee’s from performing CPR or Emergency Care Services. The Arizona Department of Health Services requires each facility to have policies and procedures on emergency services and train staff on these policies.
R9-10-803C
, The NCIA requires the
Curriculum for Assisted Living Facility Caregiver Training Programs to have at least 2 classroom hours on Fire, safety, and emergency procedures, a. Emergency planning, b. Medical emergencies, c. Environmental emergencies, d. Fire safety, e. Fire drills and evacuations, and f. Fire-code requirements;
R4-33-703-C-8a-f
How is this Bill solving the problem with excessive 911 Calls? Its NOT. This is an education issue not a legislation issue.
Resources
Who we’ve contacted so far:
AARP, AHCCCS, Arizona ALTCS: Mercy Care & Banner, Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Governor's office (meeting 2/10/20), Attorney General's Office, AZ Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners, AZ Central, AZ Commerce, AZ Corporation Commission, AZ Hospital & Healthcare Association, AZ State Board of Physical Therapy, AzCEP, Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, Board of Nursing, Department of Emergency and Military Affairs-Legislative Affairs, Dispatch Health (Mobile Urgent Care), Every local news channel, Foundation For Senior Living, Governor's Regulatory Review Council, Kyrsten Sinema's office, Naturopathic Physicians and Medical Board, National CPR Association, NCIA Board, Networking Arizona on KNFIX, NFIB, Office of Individual and Family Affairs, Ombudsman Citizens' Aide, Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, Rep Anthony Kern (many industry professionals sent emails), Rep Nancy Barto, Scheduled Meeting with Martha McSally's Office, Solace Hospice, Solving Life’s Next Chapter podcast, The White House, US Dept of Labor…
Ligia Ilea-Naik
Ligia@intouchseniorservices.com
623-201-8545
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House Bill 2260 Committee Meeting- We need you!
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January 20, 2020
8am
House of Representative
1700 W Washington St
Phoenix, Az 85032
We need all Assisted Living Professionals and Advocates to Join us and Vote NO!
If you cannot attend, reach out directly to all members of the Committee Members:
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AALHA Monthly Education
How Ombudsman Help Our Industry
February 19, 2020 1:30pm-3pm
Family Life Center
5757 N Central Ave
Phoenix , AZ 85012
*HB2260 & SB1291 Updates*
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AALHA's Stakeholder Meeting
For those who signed up with your email, please log in and vote. If you need assistance please come see me at the AALHA's Monthly Education this Wednesday, and I can help you log in to vote.
email me for any questions
Ligia@intouchseniorservices.com
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INtouch
| www.intouchseniorservices.com
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