§ 2803-q. Family councils in residential health care facilities.
1.As\nused in this section:\n (a) Family council means an organization of family members, friends,\nor representatives of two or more residents of a residential health care\nfacility, organized to act under this section.\n (b) Facility means the residential health care facility for which a\nfamily council is formed.\n 2. No residential health care facility may prohibit the formation of a\nfamily council, and, when requested by a member of the resident's family\nor the resident's representative, the family council shall be allowed to\nmeet in a common meeting room of the facility, in private without\nfacility staff at least once a month during mutually agreed upon hours.\n 3. Facility policies on family councils shall i
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§ 2803-q. Family councils in residential health care facilities. 1. As\nused in this section:\n (a) Family council means an organization of family members, friends,\nor representatives of two or more residents of a residential health care\nfacility, organized to act under this section.\n (b) Facility means the residential health care facility for which a\nfamily council is formed.\n 2. No residential health care facility may prohibit the formation of a\nfamily council, and, when requested by a member of the resident's family\nor the resident's representative, the family council shall be allowed to\nmeet in a common meeting room of the facility, in private without\nfacility staff at least once a month during mutually agreed upon hours.\n 3. Facility policies on family councils shall in no way limit the\nright of residents, family members, and family council members to meet\nindependently with outside persons, including members of nonprofit or\ngovernment organizations or with facility personnel during non-working\nhours.\n 4. Family councils shall also be provided adequate space on a\nprominent bulletin board or other posting area for the display of\nmeeting notices, minutes, newsletters, or other information pertaining\nto the operation or interest of the family council.\n 5. Staff or visitors may attend family council meetings, at the\ngroup's invitation.\n 6. The facility shall provide a designated staff person who shall be\nresponsible for providing assistance and responding to written requests\nthat result from family council meetings.\n 7. The facility shall consider the views and act upon the grievances\nand recommendations of a family council concerning proposed policy and\noperational decisions affecting resident care and life in the facility.\n 8. The facility shall respond in writing to written requests or\nconcerns of the family council, within ten working days.\n 9. When a family council exists, the facility shall include notice of\nthe family council meetings in at least a quarterly mailing, and shall\ninform family members or representatives of new residents who are\nidentified on the admissions agreement, during the admissions process,\nor in the resident's records, of the existence of the family council.\nThe notice shall include the time, place, and date of meetings, and the\nperson to contact regarding involvement in the family council.\n 10. No facility shall willfully interfere with the formation,\nmaintenance, or promotion of a family council. For the purposes of this\nsubdivision, willful interference shall include, but not be limited to,\ndiscrimination or retaliation in any way against an individual as a\nresult of his or her participation in a family council, or the willful\nscheduling of facility events in conflict with a previously scheduled\nfamily council meeting.\n 11. Violation of the provisions of this section shall constitute a\nviolation of the resident's rights pursuant to this chapter.\n