Senate Passed Bill Recognizing Cultural Differences in Long Term Care

The Senate passed Senate Bill 152 unanimously last week. This bill is part of a package of bills that will seek to improve quality of life for aging Delawareans.

This bill expands the rights of long-term care facility residents by ensuring that long-term care facility residents are entitled to care that recognizes cultural differences and preferences and that long-term care facility residents are made aware of their rights in a language and format that is accessible to the resident.

This bill also requires the Department of Health and Social Services to prepare a standardized notice listing all rights in a language and format that is accessible to each resident or their authorized representative.

“Like so many Delawareans, I experienced the responsibility of making critical decisions about the health and wellbeing of an aging parent,” said Sen. Spiros Mantzavinos. “When a family decides or when a medical professional recommends that our loved ones should no longer continue to ‘age in place’ or live at home, it is imperative that our long-term care facilities are providing high-quality, accessible, and standardized care — especially those which offer memory care services or for whom English is a second language.”

SENATE BILL 152 – CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES	Currrent Status – Senate Passed 21-0. House Health & Human Development 6/16/23
House Sponsors – Johnson // Briggs King, Hilovsky	Senate Sponsors – Mantzavinos, Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Townsend, Walsh // Pettyjohn, Buckson, Hocker, Wilson
House Yes Votes –	Senate Yes Votes –Brown Gay Hansen Hoffner Huxtable Lockman Mantzavinos McBride Paradee Pinkney Poore Sokola Sturgeon Townsend Walsh // Buckson Hocker Lawson Pettyjohn Richardon Wilson
House No Votes –	Senate No Votes – None
House Absents or Not Voting –	Senate Absent or Not Voting – None