Read the full stored bill text
S3898
SENATE, No. 3898
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MARCH 12, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
���� Imposes minimum staffing requirements and certain
reporting requirements on certain long-term care facilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning long-term care facilities and amending
P.L.1987, c.440 and P.L.2003, c.268.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.1987,
c.440 (C.26:2M-7) is amended to read as follows:����
���� 1.��� a.� The Commissioner of
[
the Department
of
]
Health shall establish a training program for health care providers in licensed
long-term health care facilities
[
in
the
]
that
provide
specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's
[
Disease
]
disease,
which shall include training on memory care therapy
. The training program
shall include methods to deal with the specific problems encountered in the
care of Alzheimer's
[
Disease
]
disease
patients, including communicating with patients and necessary safety measures.
���� b.��� The training program
shall be made available, on a voluntary basis, to licensed long-term health
care facilities which provide treatment and care to Alzheimer's
[
Disease
]
disease
patients.� Upon request, the
[
commissioner
]
Commissioner
of Health
shall provide the training program at the long-term health care
facility.
����
c.���� The Commissioner of
Health shall establish a minimum number of staff to be employed by a long-term
care facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's
disease and related disorders, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114
(C.26:2M-10), which staff shall be trained in providing care to patients with
Alzheimer�s disease.� At least one staff member trained in memory care shall be
present at all times in a long-term care facility that provides specialized
care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, as defined in
section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114 (C.26:2M-10). �
����
d.��� The Commissioner of
Health shall require a long-term care facility that provides specialized care
of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, as defined in
section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114 (C.26:2M-10), to annually certify compliance with
memory care practices, which shall include enrichment activities for patients,
under standards promulgated by the commissioner.�
����
e.���� The Commissioner of
Health shall contract with a third-party to review and track the antipsychotic
drug administration practices of long-term care facilities to determine if
those facilities excessively prescribe antipsychotic medication to patients
with Alzheimer�s disease in a manner that is harmful to those patients, as
determined by a consensus of physicians with expertise in the administration of
antipsychotic medication and Alzheimer�s disease.� The Commissioner of Health
shall create a publicly available report summarizing data collected on the
usage of antipsychotic medication by long-term care facilities and issue a plan
for corrective action to a long-term care facility that is deemed to
excessively prescribe antipsychotic medication to patients with Alzheimer�s
disease in a manner that is harmful to those patients.
(cf: P.L.1987, c.440, s.1)
���� 2.��� Section 1 of P.L.2003,
c.268 (C.26:2M-7.1) is amended to read as follows:�
���� 1.��� A long-term care
facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease
and related disorders, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114 (C.26:2M-10),
shall:
���� a.���� compile and maintain
daily records for each shift in the facility and provide to a member of the
public, upon request, information that indicates for each shift, as
appropriate:
���� (1)�� the number of nurses,
including the aggregate total of registered professional nurses and licensed
practical nurses, providing direct care to� patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's
disease and related disorders; and
���� (2)�� the number of certified
nurse aides providing direct care to patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's
disease and related disorders;
[
and
]
���� b.��� provide� a member of the
public seeking placement of a person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or
related disorders in the facility with a clear and concise written list that
indicates:
���� (1)�� the activities that are
specifically directed toward patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and
related disorders, including, but not limited to, those designed to maintain
dignity and personal identity, enhance socialization and success,
provide
enrichment,
and accommodate the cognitive and functional ability of a
patient;
���� (2)�� the frequency of the
activities listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
���� (3)�� the safety policies and
procedures and any security monitoring system that is specific to patients
diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders
; and
����
c.���� provide an annual
report to the Department of Health containing data on the administration of
antipsychotic mediation to patients with Alzheimer�s disease, as determined by
the department
.
(cf: P.L.2003, c.268, s.1)
���� 3.��� The Commissioner of
Health shall adopt rules and regulations, in accordance with the
�Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as are
necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill imposes minimum
staffing requirements and certain reporting requirements on certain long-term
care facilities.
���� Under the bill, the Commissioner
of Health (commissioner) is to establish a training program for health care
providers in licensed long-term health care facilities that provide specialized
care of patients with Alzheimer's disease, which is to include training on
memory care therapy.
���� Under the bill, the
commissioner is to establish a minimum number of staff to be employed by a
long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with
Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, which staff is to be trained in
providing care to patients with Alzheimer�s disease.� At least one staff member
trained in memory care is to be present at all times in a long-term care
facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease
and related disorders.� The commissioner is to require a long-term care
facility that provides specialized care of patients with Alzheimer's disease
and related disorders to annually certify compliance with memory care
practices, which is to include enrichment activities for patients, under standards
promulgated by the commissioner.�
���� Under the bill, the
commissioner is to contract with a third-party to review and track the
antipsychotic drug administration practices of long-term care facilities to
determine if those facilities excessively prescribe antipsychotic medication to
patients with Alzheimer�s disease in a manner that is harmful to those
patients, as determined by a consensus of physicians with expertise in the
administration of antipsychotic medication and Alzheimer�s disease.� The
commissioner is to create a publicly available report summarizing data
collected on the usage of antipsychotic medication by long-term care facilities
and issue a plan for corrective action to a long-term care facility that is
deemed to excessively prescribe antipsychotic medication to patients with
Alzheimer�s disease in a manner that is harmful to those patients.
���� The bill provides that a
long-term care facility that provides specialized care of patients with
Alzheimer's disease and related disorders is to provide an annual report to the
Department of Health containing data on the administration of antipsychotic mediation
to patients with Alzheimer�s disease, as determined by the department.