Section 26:2H-12.87a - Statewide nursing home infection control, prevention infrastructure assessmenta. The Department of Health shall conduct a Statewide nursing home infection control and prevention infrastructure assessment, which assessment shall include, at a minimum: (1) a count of the total number of single-resident rooms in nursing homes, a determination as to what percentage of the total number of authorized nursing home beds in New Jersey are utilized in single-resident rooms, and a review of the ability of nursing homes to convert multiple-resident rooms to single-resident rooms or otherwise expand the number of single-resident rooms;(2) a survey of the maintenance status of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems in nursing homes;(3) a study of the utilization of negative pressure rooms and other physical plant features that are designed or may be implemented to increase infection control and prevention capability in nursing homes; and(4) any other infrastructure-related infection control or prevention considerations as are recommended for assessment by the New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care Quality and Safety established pursuant to P.L. 2020, c. 88. No later than 30 days after the effective date of this act, the Department of Health shall request that the New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care Quality and Safety provide the department with recommendations for infrastructure-related infection control and prevention considerations to be assessed pursuant to this section, which recommendations shall be provided by the task force to the department no later than 30 days after the date of the request.b. The assessment required under subsection a. of this section shall be completed no later than one year after the effective date of this act.c. No later than 180 days after completing the assessment required pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the department shall develop a Statewide nursing home infection control and prevention infrastructure improvement plan, which plan shall: (1) establish standards and requirements for improvements to the infrastructure in nursing homes to improve infection control and prevention and to ensure the nursing homes are primarily focused on resident safety and the quality of services provided to residents;(2) establish a long-term strategy to redesign the nursing home industry in New Jersey to ensure the system is primarily focused on resident safety and the quality of services provided to residents, which strategy shall include design and construction standards for new facilities and facilities undergoing significant modifications;(3) review and seek to incorporate best practice standards in place in other states; and(4) establish specific goals and timelines for improvements, which shall take into account the age of the facilities, the availability of land for expansion or new construction, the costs of improvements, and the authorizations that would be required. In developing the Statewide nursing home infection control and prevention infrastructure improvement plan pursuant to this subsection, the department shall consult with representatives from the nursing home industry, including representatives from for-profit and non-profit facilities, groups representing nursing home workers, including both direct care providers and support staff, resident advocates, and the families of residents.
Added by L. 2021, c. 277,s. 1, eff. 11/8/2021.