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Bill to ease formation of family councils in nursing homes is heard and held
Summary
Senate Bill 787 would make it easier for family and resident councils to form in nursing facilities and require better notice of council meetings; proponents said the change promotes resident advocacy and the committee held the bill for further study.
Senate Bill 787, sponsored by Senator Mack, would streamline the process for forming family advisory councils in nursing facilities and require routine inclusion of family council meetings in facility mailings and calendars. The sponsor said she plans to remove proposed nondiscrimination and waiting‑list provisions from the bill and focus on family‑council language similar to recent legislation for assisted‑living residences.
Advocates argued family councils help relatives and caregivers coordinate advocacy for residents. "When you have a loved one in a nursing home and you would like to advocate, you can do so more effectively if you unite your voice with other family members," said Kathleen Girard. Maureen Maegret of the Senior Agenda Coalition supported the bill and urged parity between nursing homes and assisted‑living regulations regarding family and resident councils.
The Rhode Island Health Care Association said it had no issue with the existence of family councils but opposed the bill as duplicative of existing federal and state regulations; John Gage said his review found no facilities out of compliance with current rules.
Senator Mack said she will remove waiting‑list language from the bill; the committee voted to hold SB 787 for further consideration.
