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News & Notes Archive

August 2015

Posted onAuthorKiara Lopez

In this Issue

Department of Public Health Takes “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” Approach to Nursing Home Abuse

In a disgraceful last minute effort to kill AB 348 (Brown) – a CANHR sponsored bill that would have set timelines for investigations of abuse and neglect cases reported by nursing homes – the Department of Public Health continued a long tradition of siding with perpetrators of abuse against their victims by taking an official position opposing the bill. As a result, this critical bill died in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Read more…
Read CANHR’s press release…

Salinas RCFE, Colonial Manor Served with Suspension Order

Colonial Manor, a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) in Salinas, California, has been served with a temporary suspension order by the Department of Social Services – the first move in terminating the facility’s license.  Licensed as an RCFE since 2012, the licensee of the 42-bed facility is listed as MP Acquisitions, LLC, a limited liability company incorporated in Nevada with Angel Marzan, of Yonkers, New York listed as “manager.”
Read More…

Nursing Home Industry Tries to Rig Federal Regulations

Want to win an iPad? You have a chance if you work for a nursing home that submits 10 or more comments to CMS on the proposed rule on Requirements of Participation for nursing homes. The American Health Care Association (AHCA), the largest lobby group for nursing home operators, is offering this reward to persuade its members to submit thousands of comments to the federal government. By, in essence, stuffing the ballot box, AHCA is trying to pressure CMS to weaken and stall the proposed regulations. Read more…

Shlomo Rechnitz Owned Nursing Homes Charged with Crimes and Other Offenses

Nursing homes owned by Shlomo Rechnitz and associates, or his company, Brius Healthcare Services, continued to make news concerning neglect of residents. On August 19, 2015, the South Pasadena Chief of Police held a widely attended press conference to discuss a criminal investigation at the former South Pasadena Convalescent Hospital, to condemn troubling conditions that his force had encountered and to announce a new operator had taken over management of the facility. The very next day, August 20th, caregivers at the San Rafael Healthcare and Wellness Center began a two-day strike amidst allegations that residents were suffering because the facility was understaffed. On August 28th, Attorney General Kamala Harris issued a press release announcing involuntary manslaughter charges against Verdugo Valley Skilled Nursing & Wellness Centre involving the “senseless, tragic and unnecessary death” of a resident.

CANHR Legislation Moves Forward

On August 28, 2015, two priority CANHR bills passed out of their respective Appropriations Committees and are now on their way to the Governor’s desk: AB 601 (Eggman), which strengthens ownership disclosure and suitability requirements for residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFEs), and SB 33 (Hernandez), which contains some of the most important Medi-Cal Recovery reforms since 1993. Except for one no vote, SB 33 has passed unanimously out of every Committee and in the Senate.  
For more information on how to support CANHR legislation, please visit www.canhr.org/legislation. 

CCL Issues Illegal “Guidelines” for Video Surveillance in RCFEs

In defiance of numerous and grave concerns regarding privacy, resident rights and the legality of its process, the Community Care Licensing Division of the California Department of Social Services (CCL) issued underground regulations in the guise of “guidelines” for the use of video surveillance in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) and Adult Community Care Facilities on August 7, 2015.Click here to read the Guidelines (pages 20-20.10)
Click here to read CANHR’s comments on a previous version of the Guidelines

MyRA Account

The U.S. Treasury Department last month announced a massive new undertaking to help those without traditional retirement options save for retirement. The agency rolled out its new myRA (My Retirement Account). The account is based on the Roth IRA, a savings account featuring tax-free retirement withdrawals.
For more information visit:https://myra.gov

Upcoming Events

Time for Transformation – Collaboration between Adult Protective Services (APS), Legal Services, and Civil Litigators

The training will include information on how APS can identify and appropriately refer cases of financial elder abuse. Legal services providers will learn how these cases can generate attorneys’ fees as well as build capacity among attorney staff.

Wednesday, September 16th, 2015
1:00 pm- 4:00pm
The Institute on Aging
3575 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118

Price: FREE
3.0 hours of MCLE credits are available
3.0 hours of CEU credits are available

Medi-Cal & Medi-Cal Recovery Training in Sacramento

If you are working in nursing home admissions, hospital discharge planning or with elders in the community, it is imperative that you have current, accurate information about Medi-Cal Eligibility and Recovery. This training will provide a three-hour overview of the application process, eligibility rules, and how to avoid Medi-Cal Recovery.

September 18, 2015
10:00am – 1:00pm
California State Railroad Museum
125 “I” Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Price: $30 regular  ($25 for existing SWAP Members and students)
CEU Credits: 3 Hours

Health for Family Caregivers Workshop

A FREE conference for Spanish-speaking family and friends caring for someone with dementia, or an aging loved one.
Workshop topics include:

  • A healthy body for a healthy brain
  • Long Term Care: What is it and Who Pays for it?
  • Therapeutic Dance

October 3, 2015
8:30am – 12:30pm
Mission YMCA
4080 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94112

Click here to view the English Flyer
Click here to view the Spanish Flyer