Marilyn Moore

State Senator Marilyn Moore Supports Bills in Human Services Committee that will Strengthen Infrastructure of Nursing Homes and Improve Upon Lessons Learned from the Pandemic

State Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) is showing support for multiple bills that will now be voted on for approval by the Human Services Committee following today’s public hearing. As chair of the committee, Sen. Moore believes these bills will help strengthen the infrastructure of nursing homes and improve upon lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Covid-19 pandemic amplified the need to prepare for any future public health emergency should one arise again,” said Senator Moore. “We have taken into consideration voices of the community, residents, caregivers, and providers to create bills that will provide assurance that there are policies to provide emotional and psychological support in the future. The unexpected pandemic put a strain on families and their loved ones. The services outlined in these bills would contribute and strengthen services and supports to implement a more effective way to handle the mental toll such a pandemic would take on those living in long-term care facilities in the future and their families. We can only take what we have learned and apply new methods and policies to improve upon the well-being of the residents in Connecticut.”

Senate Bill 6634, An Act Concerning Essential Support Persons And A State-wide Visitation Policy For Residents Of Long-term Care Facilities, was introduced following the coronavirus pandemic. Under this bill, as presented, a state-wide policy would be put into place to allow visitation with a long-term care facility resident. A long-term care facility resident would designate an essential support person who may visit and support their physical, emotional, psychological, and socialization needs despite other visitation restrictions. With the coronavirus pandemic, several residents in long-term facilities were unable to see their loved ones out of the health and safety concerns brought forward from an unknown virus. Within this bill, if a public health emergency is declared again in the future and long-term facilities restrict visitors, arrangements for visitation will be made for outdoor visitation, virtual visitation, and indoor visitation for residents nearing the end of his or her life. All visitations allowed will have to follow specific safety protocols.

Senate Bill 1057, An Act Concerning Nursing Homes, was also created following the impact the coronavirus pandemic had on these particular facilities. This particular bill would change the minimum staffing levels at nursing home facilities throughout Connecticut. This bill would create requirements for nursing homes to have approximately four hours of direct care per resident including 45 minutes of care by a registered nurse, approximately 32 minutes of licensed practical nurse care, and approximately two hours and 45 minutes of care by a certified nurse’s assistant.

House Bill 6637, An Act Concerning State-wide Mental Health Services For Deaf, Deaf-blind And Hard Of Hearing Persons, would enact a state-wide mental health services programs that allow a deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing person the right to mental health services that accommodate the unique needs of each person including these services to be given to them in their primary language and communication mode. The state-wide mental health services program would include options that provide services that include sign language interpreting, video relay telecommunications, captioning, telehealth, and telemedicine services. Telehealth and telemedicine services proved to be a viable choice to protect the safety and health of people during the pandemic and with these resources, the deaf community would be able to continue to use services that make them feel comfortable. The program would also include an adequate allocation of state resources and funding to ensure this program provides appropriate mental health services to the deaf community. HB 6637 would also put together an advisory committee that would identify gaps in services, necessary resources, and funding, and assist long-range planning to provide mental health needs to each person.