THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

72

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting the department of health, department of Human services, office of THE public guardian, and all providers of long-term care services to consider transfer trauma before relocating facility residents and take necessary steps to mitigate the possible impact on the health, safety, and welfare of facility residents.

 

WHEREAS, transfer trauma is a well-documented medical and psychological phenomenon that can cause severe illness or even death; and

WHEREAS, the effects of transfer trauma are more pronounced in elders and the physically and mentally impaired; and

WHEREAS, stability of familiar people, surroundings, and routine are important elements to minimize trauma; and

WHEREAS, studies and literature stress the importance of preparation and counseling before and after relocation and include protocols considering family involvement, elder involvement such as personal control and choice in relocation, adjustment promotion by home of facility staff, and family visits or excursions outside the home or facility; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Health is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the health, welfare, and safety of all individuals residing in health care facilities, and thus is responsible for licensure of such facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services certifies residential alternatives to community care placement foster homes; and

WHEREAS, the Office of the Public Guardian places dependent adults in long-term care facilities who generally have no family or friends who will be visiting or monitoring the care of these residents; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services licenses and contracts with home and community-based case management agencies to provide, coordinate, and monitor comprehensive services to clients in community care foster family homes or Medicaid clients in expanded adult residential care homes and assisted living facilities; and

WHEREAS, the National Association of Social Workers – Hawaii Chapter has an obligation to protect the public by ensuring that the social work profession maintains the highest standards for its membership; and

WHEREAS, all professions involved in placement and discharge planning need to understand the impact of transfer trauma and have policies in place to mitigate its impact on their clients; and

WHEREAS, the State Long Term Care Ombudsman is federally mandated to be the advocate for all residents of licensed long-term care facilities; and

WHEREAS, provider associations also have an obligation to protect the public by ensuring that their membership maintain the highest professional standards; and

WHEREAS, state law makes no provision for the consideration of transfer trauma in decisions that are made which affect the transfer of care home residents; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health convene a work group including the Department of Human Services, Office of the Public Guardian, State Long Term Care Ombudsman, University of Hawaii Center on Aging, John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Gerontology, representatives of long-term care providers, associations, and advocacy groups to:

(1) Review the current literature regarding transfer trauma;

(2) Identify particular situations that are most likely to cause transfer trauma and instances in which the risk to the resident should be considered in the decision to relocate; and

(3) Prepare written protocols on best practices for resident relocation to mitigate the effects of transfer trauma; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health, with the assistance of members of the work group, submit an interim report of findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2005, and submit a final report of findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Director of the Office of the Public Guardian, Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers – Hawaii Chapter, State Long Term Care Ombudsman, Chair of the University of Hawaii Center on Aging, and Dean of the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Adult Residential Care Homes; Transfer Trauma