Vitale Issues Statement on Signing of Long-Term Care Facilities’ Outbreak Response Plan Bill into Law

Trenton – Senator Joseph Vitale, Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and sponsor of a number of pieces of legislation that have sought to put in place greater safeguards and reforms to protect New Jersey’s long-term care community, issued this statement following Thursday’s signing of a bill that establishes enhanced requirements on submission of outbreak response plans to DOH by long-term care facilities.

“During the early days of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we all watched in horror as our state’s long-term care facilities were devastated by an invisible enemy that ripped through these residences at a remarkable speed,” said Senator Vitale (D-Middlesex). “Going forward, this law will ensure our state’s long-term care facilities are better equipped, and more fully staffed and prepared to respond to the next infectious disease outbreak.”

The law, formerly S-2798, requires the Department of Health to verify that each long-term care facility has developed a customized outbreak response plan that follows national standards and protocols. Among its most notable provisions, the new law will:

• require all long term care facilities, not just those with ventilator-dependent residents, to establish an infection prevention and control committee;
• require all long-term care facilities, not just those with ventilator-dependent residents, to employ an infection preventionist who meets certain educational and training criteria, is a managerial employee, and participates on the infection prevention and control committee; (the infection preventionist shall be responsible for developing infection control policies, procedures, and training curriculum for staff, overseeing the implementation of the policies, and conducting internal quality improvement audits);
• require all nursing homes, not just those with ventilator-dependent residents, to hire a physician who has completed an infectious disease fellowship to participate on the infection prevention and control committee.

“COVID-19 has taken an immense toll on our long-term care community,” added Senator Vitale. “This community is comprised of some of our state’s most vulnerable residents – the State and facilities must do better.”