California nursing homes and residential care facilities must permit, and assist, family councils. You can refer to California Health and Safety Code §§1418.4 and §1569.158. An active family council can be effective in improving care at the facility.

With respect to nursing homes, in relevant part, §1418.4(g) states that “The facility shall consider the views and act upon the grievances and recommendations of a family council concerning proposed policy and operational decisions affecting resident care and life in the facility,” and §1418.4(h) states that “The facility shall respond in writing to written requests or concerns of the family council, within 10 working days.”

And with respect to residential care facilities, in relevant part, §1569.158(f) states “If a family council submits written concerns or recommendations, the facility shall respond in writing regarding any action or inaction taken in response to the concerns or recommendations within 14 calendar days.”

The above wording is very broad as to the types of issues, grievances, concerns and recommendations that a family council might consider and raise with the facility.

Thus, for example, obviously facilities should have already reviewed their policies and procedures to prevent, minimize and remedy illnesses at the facility. Click on the following link  https://wp.me/p1wbl8-vG for my blog post entitled “An illness spreads through a nursing home . . . some of the possible issues and legal issues to evaluate . . .”

1.  Is the risk management and compliance program well designed, and how does the facility know that?

2.  Is the risk management and compliance program being implemented effectively, and how does the facility know that?

3.  Does the risk management and compliance program work in practice, and how does the facility know that?

Obviously the above 3 points are major considerations for which the facility would need to effectively and extensively drill down into the details.

Best to you, Dave Tate, Esq. (San Francisco and California)

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Remember, every case and situation is different. It is important to obtain and evaluate all of the evidence that is available, and to apply that evidence to the applicable standards and laws. You do need to consult with an attorney and other professionals about your particular situation. This post is not a solicitation for legal or other services inside of or outside of California, and, of course, this post only is a summary of information that changes from time to time, and does not apply to any particular situation or to your specific situation. So . . . you cannot rely on this post for your situation or as legal or other professional advice or representation.

Thank you for reading this post. I ask that you also pass it along to other people who would be interested as it is through collaboration that great things and success occur more quickly. And please also subscribe to this blog and my other blog (see below), and connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Best to you, David Tate, Esq. (and inactive California CPA) – practicing in California only.

I am also the Chair of the Business Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco.

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