Will This Ohio Camera Law Be Helpful or Just Sound Good?
With the pandemic and the heartbreaking challenges residents and families went through in which many did not survive, families deserve to no longer live in fear they will lose contact with their loved ones in any emergency.
The first concern in this pandemic was not to protect residents, but to protect long-term care facilities with an immunity law that made it near impossible to make them accountable for neglect and abuse. Then, we see a Caregiver Bill that is being considered in Ohio that will not have any enforcements in it. Most protections and safegards were taken away from residnents and although it was an immediate need, we could not get a camera law passed to allow electronic monitoring in resident rooms at all, but yet that immuntiy law was a big priority that we believe led to neglect and abuse without accountability.
When the camera bill first was introduced to the Senate, it didn’t have everything on our wish list, but it was a start and it was doable. However, in the final moments before the bill passed the Senate, much of what made this bill doable was taken out and called “minor compromises” by the Sponsor. When we asked to have these things put back in, they were called “sweeping changes.” Which was it?
We have attached a link for the law below. This bill only seems to pass with IF’S and MAY’S. it should be stating MUST AND SHALL.
This bill is not hard to read. You decide if you think it presents a clear direction and process in putting in a camera. Also, not requring a standardized form could cause some HIPAA issues is proper permissions not being documented.
We have made our concerns known, we have asked for clarification on how this bill will work, however, resistance has been given to answering questions. . We don’t need a bill to pass just to say we have one, it will mean nothing if it does not do what is intended and maybe an insult to convince us this bill would help if it doesn’t. We hope promises made, will be promises kept. The residents and families deserve at least that in this bill.
Update: We just found out they will change the wording to ODH May adopt rules instead of current language “Shall”
With no one required to do anything, no form required, no procedure….this bill seems to be destined to not do what is intented in our opinon.