SLS 18RS-1510 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 532
BY SENATOR MILKOVICH
NURSING HOMES. Establishes an informed choice in long-term care pilot program at the
Northeast Delta Human Services Authority for Louisiana citizens vulnerable to nursing
home admission. (8/1/18)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 28:919, relative to long-term care; to provide for the establishment of an
3 informed choice in long-term care pilot program at the Northeast Delta Human
4 Services Authority for Louisiana citizens vulnerable to nursing home admission; to
5 provide for diversion and transition; to provide for cooperation by the Louisiana
6 Department of Health; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 28:919 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง919. Informed choice in long-term care pilot program; Northeast Delta
10 Human Services Authority
11 A.(1) The Northeast Delta Human Services Authority ("authority"), as
12 defined in R.S. 28:912(A)(6), shall implement an informed choice in long-term
13 care pilot program to educate and inform Louisiana citizens vulnerable to
14 nursing facility admission of alternative options that can safely and effectively
15 meet their behavioral healthcare needs.
16 (2) The pilot program shall serve to advance the goals of preventing
17 unnecessary long-term nursing facility placement through diversion and
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 532
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1 providing home- and community-based alternatives for nursing facility
2 residents who prefer and are safely able to successfully transition into a
3 community setting.
4 (3) The authority shall be the single point of entry for screening of
5 individuals vulnerable for nursing facility admission in the parishes of the
6 authority's geographic catchment area. Trained services and supports
7 counselors shall meet with all individuals seeking or referred for nursing facility
8 admission to provide sufficient information and options to make an informed
9 choice.
10 B. In order to achieve the goals of the pilot program, the authority shall
11 develop and implement screening and intervention strategies. The screening and
12 intervention strategies utilized by the authority may include but are not limited
13 to the following:
14 (1) Divert individuals from emergency rooms, thereby avoiding
15 unnecessary acute care hospitalizations for psychiatric reasons.
16 (2) Transition individuals living in nursing facilities back into the
17 community.
18 (3) Provide outreach, education, and engagement materials and
19 resources regarding community based options to individuals residing in nursing
20 facilities with serious and persistent mental illness.
21 (4) Provide consultation to professional staff regarding behavioral health
22 options to nursing facility discharge teams.
23 (5) Provide staff training and more robust utilization of the pre-
24 admission and resident review assessment for level of care needs with the
25 primary intent being determination of the most appropriate community based
26 option.
27 (6) Maintain an updated, working knowledge of community based
28 resources for individuals living with mental illness and substance use issues.
29 (7) Provide diabetes education regarding self-administration and healthy
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 532
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1 lifestyle choices.
2 (8) Provide crisis intervention and consultation with other providers and
3 local law enforcement.
4 (9) Provide education regarding alternative interventions to reduce
5 psychiatric symptoms and cravings for substances.
6 (10) Provide substance abuse counseling and resource education and
7 connection to programs in the community.
8 C. The Louisiana Department of Health shall provide sufficient
9 resources to enable the authority to implement the pilot program established by
10 this Section. Resources may include staff, funding, and grant seeking and
11 writing expertise to secure awards for additional funding for the pilot program.
12 D. The Louisiana Department of Health shall conduct quarterly reviews
13 of the pilot program and submit findings of the review to the senate and house
14 committees on health and welfare.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Christine Arbo Peck.
DIGEST
SB 532 Original 2018 Regular Session Milkovich
Proposed law establishes an informed choice in long-term care pilot program to be
administered by the Northeast Delta Human Services Authority to educate and inform
Louisiana citizens vulnerable to nursing facility admission of alternative options that can
safely and effectively meet their behavioral healthcare needs.
Proposed law provides for development and implementation of screening and intervention
strategies.
Proposed law requires the Louisiana Department of Health to provide staff and funding
resources, including grant writing expertise, to implement the pilot program.
Proposed law requires the Louisiana Department of Health to conduct quarterly reviews of
the pilot program and submit findings of the review to the senate and house committees on
health and welfare.
Effective August 1, 2018.
(Adds R.S. 28:919)
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.