Committee on Long-Term Care Facility Reform

This committee is focused on advocating for disabled older adults and persons with disabilities who reside in nursing homes and other long term care facilities as well as supporting and exploring alternatives to congregate care. Our call to action in creating this Committee, formerly a Task Force of the ELSN Section, was the unbelievable toll of the COVID-19 virus on long-term care residents and  recognition that multiple long-standing systemic deficiencies in the delivery of care at Iong-term care facilities significantly contributed to the spread of disease among and the death of their residents. Our mission derives directly from the Nursing Home Reform Law, which affords residents “the right to be provided with care and quality of life sufficient for them to attain and maintain their highest practicable physical, emotional and social well-being.”

Our committee is organized into the following three subcommittees:

• Education and Resources: This subcommittee’s goal is to continually educate and update the legal community and specifically ELSN Section members and other stakeholders about the laws and governmental rules and regulations that affect the operation long term care facilities and residents’ rights to be treated with respect and dignity, with a focus on training counsel on ways to effectively advocate for residents and patients.
• Advocacy for Legislative Change: This subcommittee’s goal is to review, propose and educate ELSN members, the Bar, and other stakeholders about new or pending legislation concerning residents’ rights, the operation of long-term care facilities and other initiatives that will improve the lives and care needed by given by disabled older adults and persons with disabilities.  This subcommittee is actively involved in producing memos on behalf of the ELSN Section in support of or against specific proposed legislation.
• Community Outreach: This subcommittee is working to build and strengthen a network of resident and patient advocates throughout New York State and providing families and others with information, tools and resources to better access care provided to disabled older adults and persons with disabilities at long-term care facilities and in their communities.