The Lowe-Down

THE NEXT STEP: Quality care for the most fragile among us

As we begin our trek toward the end of this year's legislative session, I want to bring you up to date on a piece of important legislation that we've been working on for the last several months.

Imagine this scenario: a loved one experiences a traumatic brain injury or stroke and requires skilled, day-to-day care. Unfortunately, none of us need imagine this at all as most of us probably know a family that is in this very situation.

That's why I am sponsoring a bill in the legislature that will ensure that a family member gets highly skilled care from competent professionals in a compassionate residential setting.

The Critical Adult Care Home Act of 2009 is a significant step to meeting this objective. Critical Adult Care Homes will offer 24-hour residential care in a homelike environment to no more than 5 elderly or disabled adults. These are homes in any typical neighborhood, and although this legislation seeks to specifically serve aging or disabled adults, this will not be a system designed for individuals suffering from a mental or emotional disability.

The Act requires that either the provider or a resident manager must live on-site in the home so that the person primarily responsible for delivering care on a day-to-day basis is living with the individuals for whom he or she is caring. Further, these homes will provide specialized services to residents who are ventilator dependent or persons with a traumatic brain injury.

The Act requires strict licensing standards for the homes and those who deliver care, and the legislation provides guidelines for dealing with complaints, establishing penalties for facilities and care providers that don't measure up. We will likewise establish rigorous training and education requirements for the care-givers. The program is expected to be fully implemented by the end of this year.

Last year, we worked hard to pass the Long-Term Care Community Choices Act. This year's effort is the second step as we move toward safeguarding those who may require more extensive healthcare while providing for that care in a safe, residential setting. In the process, we continue to streamline healthcare services and thereby cut out waste, offer more choices to consumers, and save taxpayer dollars. The Senate General Health and Welfare Committee unanimously approved the critical-care bill last week, and it is expected to make its way to the full Senate and House in the coming days.

Good government serves those who are least able to protect themselves. The message is clear: Tennessee will tolerate nothing less than the most professional care for those left helpless by illness or injury. They and their families deserve no less.