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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Ken Smith |
  
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Smith long-term care patient safety bill closer to passage in House
HARRISBURG, May 7 – State Rep. Ken Smith, D-Lackawanna, said he is pleased that the House of Representatives may soon vote on a bill he introduced that would help to protect patients in long-term care facilities from seriously harming themselves.
Smith's legislation (H.B. 2109) would require long-term care facility employees and administrators to report to area agencies on aging any patient self-neglect cases within 48 hours of an incident.
"My legislation would address the need to better protect patients from harm should they become a physical threat to themselves or others near them in assisted living facilities," Smith said.
The Lackawanna County legislator said current law needs to be revised to include a requirement to report neglect at long-term care facilities. The law now only requires reporting abuse.
Also, Smith's bill would call for fines of up to $2,500 or one year in prison, or both, for owners or administrators of long-term care facilities when neglect is not reported. In addition, people who fail to report an incident to authorities would face a summary offense for the first violation and third-degree misdemeanor for the second and subsequent violations.
Smith's bill is poised for a final vote in the House next week.
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Attention Radio News Directors: an actuality from Rep. Smith is available by calling 1-800-452-3001. Enter PA112 (7-2-112) and the pound sign (#) at the menu prompt to get today’s sound. You can also download the sound in .mp3 format by visiting www.pahouse.com/mediacenter.
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