TEXAS CAREGIVERS FOR COMPROMISE
Because Isolation Kills, Too
a proposed bill that requires skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for the intellectually disabled, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities nationwide to permit essential caregivers access during any period in which regular visitation is restricted
ESTELLA VILLAPONDO, TEXAS
“It is vital that we, as a society, recognize the critical role that family members play in the care and well-being of residents in long-term care facilities. For more than a year during the COVID-19 pandemic, residents in these facilities were separated from their loved ones – far too many lost their will to survive, and many others suffered untold emotional, psychological, and physical pain as a result of this separation. This bill would ensure that in any future emergency, at least one designated essential caregiver is able to access their loved ones in a manner consistent with all applicable health and safety protocols.”
U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY)
U.S. Representative John B. Larson (D-CT)
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
GOT QUESTIONS?
A PROPOSED BILL TO PROTECT RESIDENTS IN LONG-TERM CARE FROM THE EFFECTS OF ISOLATION PROTOCOLS
Caregivers for Compromise has worked with legislators for three years on federal level "essential caregiver" legislation and we are so excited that the day has finally come that we can share a proposed bill ready to be introduced! Connecticut and Texas team members have been particularly involved in development of the final language as Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and John Cornyn (R-TX) are co-authors. On April 17, 2024, CT and TX team members held a webinar to sare the bill with advocates, family members, and stakeholders and provided an address to submit comments and questions. Below are all the resources and information from the webinar. We hope supporters will be ready to ask Congressional House Representatives and Senators for co-sponsorships of this bill just as soon as it is officially filed!
The most recent draft bill is available for you to download. Remember that adopting legislation is a process and while we hope the language is close to final form and ready to be introduced in the 118th Congress, there are some areas where better and best case options are still being explored Read it HERE.
CT and TX team members walked advocates, family members, and stakeholders through the bill language in a webinar setting to make sure supporters have an opportunity to explore the bill further, ask questions, and be prepared to ask Congressional House Reps and Senators for co-sponsorships just as soon as the bill is officially filed. The slides for that webinar are available for download HERE.
The authors released a statement on their one-pager and we’ve included that here for you to read. It demonstrates their commitment to people in long-term care and an understanding of the cruelty of isolation protocols but the need to make sure we do not lose sight of safety and infection control. This bill strikes that balance Read it HERE.
A recording of the April 17, 2024 webinar outlining the bill provisions is posted on this page with only the bill details. The full video with introductions and closing remarks is available for download HERE.