79R6686 MSE-F

By:  Nelson                                                       S.B. No. 874



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to quality-of-care monitoring visits to long-term care 
facilities. 
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 255.001(1), Health and Safety Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
		(1)  "Department" means the [Texas] Department of Aging 
and Disability [Human] Services.
	SECTION 2.  Sections 255.003(a) and (f), Health and Safety 
Code, are amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The department shall establish regional offices with 
one or more quality-of-care monitors, based on the number of 
long-term care facilities in the region, to monitor the facilities 
in the region on a regular, [unannounced,] aperiodic basis, 
including nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays.  A monitoring 
visit conducted under this chapter may be announced or unannounced.
	(f)  The quality-of-care monitor shall include in a 
monitoring [an assessment] visit:
		(1)  observation of the care and services rendered to 
residents; and        
		(2)  formal and informal interviews with residents, 
family members, facility staff, resident guests, volunteers, other 
regulatory staff, and representatives of a human rights advocacy 
committee.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.