New Legislation Provides Protection for Residents Facing Unexplained Nursing Home Discharges

California passed a law that requires nursing home employees to provide their evicted residents with paperwork on any information related to their eviction. This law will help residents with appeals against the eviction easier to file. This legislation emerged in response to the frequent complaints about evictions from nursing homes in California. Each year, about 450,000 residents in nursing homes are served with an eviction notice. While some residents accept their eviction, others want to appeal and fight for their residency. According to recent news, over the last 5 years, more than 1,800 discharge issues were cited from California nursing homes.

This law will assist former residents in understanding why they received an eviction notice so they can provide that information upfront when filing appeals. Many residents may lack awareness of their rights to contest an eviction notice or find themselves in a vulnerable position and unable to fully understand the information provided to them. The new legislation will help residents feel confident about their appeal so that they can make a better case in court.

“It’s a very minor burden on the facilities to give residents copies of information that they’re already having to create or document,” Tony Chicotel, from California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform said. “Now residents have information to see if (the appeal) seems legitimate.”

The California Association of Health Facilities is in full support of resident’s being informed of their discharge rights if they follow the state’s laws and regulations. Currently, this bill has no opposition from lawmakers or the providers for nursing homes. Long-term care providers endorse this legislation, as they prioritize the high value placed on the quality of care for residents, and this law aligns with that fundamental belief.

Reference

Siddiqi Z. California law aims to aid appeals process for nursing home discharges. Skilled Nursing News. Published January 3, 2024. Accessed January 18, 2024. https://skillednursingnews.com/2024/01/california-law-aims-to-aid-appeals-process-for-nursing-home-discharges/