New Jersey: Outbreak Plans as a Licensure Requirement
New Jersey is one step closer to establishing long term care facility requirements for submission of outbreak response plans. Senate Bill 2798 passed its first committee vote at the end of March and the Bill is on its way to a second committee reading.
The Bill, and a matching companion bill from the Assembly, provide that Long Term Care facilities provide an outbreak response plan to the New Jersey Department of Health as a condition of licensure. The term Long Term Care Facility includes assisted living residences, comprehensive personal care homes, residential health care facilities, or dementia care homes.
In the case of existing licensees, the outbreak response plan must be submitted within 180 days of the Governor’s signature of the Act. Additional requirements include:
A protocol for isolating and cohorting (grouping) infected and at-risk residents in the event of an outbreak of a contagious disease at a facility/ Policies for notifying residents, families, and staff; Information on the availability of testing and routine monitoring; and requirements for reporting to the Department of Health.
New Jersey Residents desiring involvement on this bill can contact key bill sponsors:
NJ Sen. Joseph “Joe” Vitale (D-NJ-019),
Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens (Chair)
Email: [email protected]
Phone (609) 847-3915
State House,
125 West State Street,
Trenton, NJ 08625-1101
and
NJ Sen. M. Teresa “Teresa” Ruiz (D-NJ-029)
Senate President Pro Tempore
Org: New Jersey Senate
Email: [email protected]
Phone (609) 847-3915
State House,
125 West State Street,
Trenton, NJ 08625-1101
