Assembly Bill No. 349–Assemblymen Ohrenschall, Claborn and Buckley

 

March 17, 2003

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Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

 

SUMMARY—Makes various changes concerning older Nevadans. (BDR 38‑973)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to older persons; requiring training and education in geriatrics and gerontology as a condition for licensing certain health care professionals and for persons who work in long-term care facilities; removing the limitation on the number of hearings that the Nevada Silver Haired Legislative Forum may hold; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1. Chapter 427A of NRS is hereby amended by

1-2  adding thereto a new section to read as follows:

1-3  1.  A person licensed to provide health care must, as a

1-4  condition of obtaining a license or renewing a license, receive

1-5  training and education in geriatrics and gerontology. A person

1-6  who is employed by a licensed facility for long-term care but who

1-7  is not required to be licensed must receive such training and

1-8  education as a condition of licensure of the facility.

1-9  2.  The training and education required pursuant to this

1-10  section must include, but is not limited to:

1-11      (a) The skills and knowledge that the person needs to address

1-12  aging issues;

1-13      (b) Approaches to providing health care to older persons,

1-14  including both didactic and clinical approaches;

2-1  (c) The biological, behavioral, social and emotional aspects of

2-2  the aging process; and

2-3  (d) The importance of maintenance of function and

2-4  independence for older persons.

2-5  3.  The training and education required pursuant to this

2-6  section must constitute at least 10 percent of the total curriculum

2-7  for a person who is licensed to provide health care. If 50 percent

2-8  or more of a person’s practice involves older persons, the training

2-9  and education must constitute at least 25 percent of his required

2-10  hours of continuing training or education for renewal of his

2-11  license.

2-12      4.  The Administrator and the Director shall work in

2-13  cooperation with:

2-14      (a) The appropriate occupational licensing boards, for persons

2-15  licensed to provide health care; and

2-16      (b) The State Board of Health, for persons employed by

2-17  licensed facilities for long-term care,

2-18  to develop the training and education programs required pursuant

2-19  to this section. Each board shall adopt the programs as a part of

2-20  its requirements for licensure and the renewal of licenses of

2-21  persons licensed to provide health care or of facilities for long-

2-22  term care.

2-23      5.  As used in this section, “person licensed to provide health

2-24  care” means a person who is required to obtain a license pursuant

2-25  to chapter 630, 631, 632, 633, 637B, 639, 640, 640A, 641, 641B or

2-26  654 of NRS.

2-27      Sec. 2.  NRS 427A.380 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-28      427A.380  1.  The Nevada Silver Haired Legislative Forum

2-29  may, within the limits of legislative appropriations and any gifts,

2-30  grants or donations received by the Forum:

2-31      [1.] (a) During the period in which the Legislature is not in a

2-32  regular session, hold three public hearings in three different areas of

2-33  this state and may hold [an additional public hearing] additional

2-34  public hearings in any area of this state . [to prepare the report

2-35  authorized by NRS 427A.390.

2-36      2.  Comply]

2-37      (b) During the period in which the Legislature is in a regular

2-38  session, meet as often as necessary to conduct the business of the

2-39  Forum.

2-40      (c) Form committees, which may meet as often as necessary to

2-41  conduct the business of the Forum.

2-42      2.  The Nevada Silver Haired Legislative Forum and its

2-43  committees shall comply with the provisions of chapter 241 of

2-44  NRS.

3-1  Sec. 3.  1.  This section and section 2 of this act become

3-2  effective on July 1, 2003.

3-3  2.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective on July 1, 2003, for

3-4  the purpose of developing the training and educational programs

3-5  required by that section and on July 1, 2004, for all other purposes.

 

3-6  H