Unanimous for Safety

Abuse Prevention

WTRF reported that Ohio unanimously passed a law that will increase safety, deter abuse, and prevent waste. The Ohio bill will allow cameras in nursing homes so abuse and neglect can be stopped. The bipartisan bill allow nursing home residents or their families to install cameras in their rooms to capture abuse and neglect. The bill says the guardian, attorney, or resident would have to pay for the costs of installing, maintaining, and removing the camera.

Senate Bill 58, also called Esther’s Law, has passed unanimously in the Ohio House and Senate. The bill is named after Esther Piskor. She was a resident of a Cleveland nursing home. Cameras placed in her room by her family showed abuse from nurses’ aides.

The bill will now go to Gov. Mike DeWine to sign or veto. He intends to sign the bill into law. Currently, Illinois, Kansas, and Minnesota, allow families to install cameras in nursing homes.

Quid Pro Quo?

Ohio Republicans then designed a bill to send $300 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds as a one-time payment to Ohio nursing facilities. This is on top of the hundreds of millions provided in the CARES Act and other COVID bailouts.

The American Rescue Plan Act provides $250 million nationwide for “strike teams” to fight COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing homes. It also provides an additional $200 million for infection control at nursing homes.

At least they will have cameras to see where the money is being spent!