ASSEMBLY, No. 2631

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JANUARY 9, 1997

By Assemblywoman ALLEN and Assemblyman DeSOPO

An Act concerning certain long-term care facilities and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. As used in this act:

    a. "Assisted living residence" means a facility which is licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide apartment-style housing and congregate dining and to assure that an array of supportive personal and health services are available when needed, to four or more adult persons unrelated to the proprietor.

    b. "Comprehensive personal care home" means a facility which is licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide room and board and to assure that an array of supportive personal and health services are available when needed, to four or more adults unrelated to the proprietor.

    c. "Nursing home" means a facility that is licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide health care under medical supervision and continuous nursing care for 24 or more consecutive hours to two or more patients who do not require the degree of care and treatment which a hospital provides and who, because of their physical or mental condition, require continuous nursing care and services above the level of room and board.

    d. "Residential health care facility" means a facility licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide shelter, personal care assistance, and health maintenance and monitoring.

    2. An assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, nursing home or residential health care facility which has been closed to admissions and readmissions as a result of being judged deficient by the Department of Health and Senior Services, may permit a resident to be readmitted to the facility if that resident had been hospitalized but is able to return to the facility.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires the Department of Health and Senior Services to allow an assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, nursing home or residential health care facility, which has been closed to admissions and readmissions as a result of being judged deficient by the department, to permit a resident to be readmitted to the facility if that resident had been hospitalized but is able to return to the facility.

Allows residents who have been hospitalized to return to certain long-term care facilities which have been determined to be deficient.