NASW/CT LEGISLATIVE ALERT
NURSING HOME SOCIAL WORK BILL
REDUCE THE INSANE WORKER TO BED RATIO
TELL YOUR LEGISLATOR TO VOTE YES ON SB 278
(legislator contact info below)
SUPPORT RESIDENTS CARE AND SOCIAL WORK SERVICES BILL SB 278:
AN ACT CONCERNING NURSING HOME FACILITY MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS
Nursing homes can get away with as little as 1 social worker to 120 beds (residents). This ratio has not been updated since the 1980s and is so low that nursing home residents cannot receive necessary psychosocial care. SB 278 reduces the ratio to 80 beds to 1 social worker in 2016 and 60 beds to 1 social worker in 2020. Speak up for nursing home residents and for social work practice by taking action on SB 278.
WHY THIS CHANGE IS NEEDED
- The current ratio is long outdated and undoable. Current nursing home populations have acute needs in terms of complex diagnosis and mental health status that cannot be met at the current bed to worker ratio.
- Nursing home social workers tasks include, but not limited to: referrals for financial need, helping patients and families adjust to the placement, care plan meetings, developing individualized care plans for the social and emotional needs of the resident, discharge planning, protecting residents rights, assessing cognitive and mental functioning, dealing with resident to resident altercations, providing emotional support to residents and family members, staff training on resident rights, and dealing with significant amounts of required reporting.
- Based on the current ratio the social worker has approximately 9 minutes per week to address individual resident’s concerns and needs.
- A 2010 NASW/CT survey of nursing home social workers found that 72% of respondents listed lack of time to effectively perform their job as their number one concern.
- It is time that nursing home residents receive the psychosocial services they are entitled to and social work practice is given the recognition it deserves within nursing home facilities.
Action Needed Now
Contact the Human Services Committee and tell them to vote YES on Bill 278.
Marilyn Moore, Senate Co-Chair, 800-842-1420
Catherine Abercrombie, House Co-Chair, 800-842-8267
Joe Markley, Senate Ranking Member, 800-842-1421
Terrie Wood, Ranking House Member, 800-842-8270
SUBMIT TESTIMONY TO THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
For more information contact Stephen Karp, LMSW, Executive Director at skarp@naswct.net or 860-257-8066 (O) or 860-212-4054 (C).
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