A Connecticut state senator is proposing legislation that would require a public hearing and testimony before a nursing facility can close.
Rep. John Kissel (R-Enfield) recently announced the proposed policy change, which is in response to the recent closure of Blair Manor in Enfield, CT. The nursing home had fallen into state-controlled receivership in May 2017 before its eventual shuttering, and residents and their families were denied the chance to speak during the court process.
“I just fundamentally believe they should have their day in court,” Kessel told the Journal Inquirer. “I’m totally dedicated to doing all I can to help this bill get passed,” he added.
In 2017, the town of Enfield had filed a motion to intervene in the case on behalf of residents. But Superior Court Judge Constance Epstein denied that motion, ordering Blair Manor’s closure in November 2017. Nurses, family members and residents had packed the Hartford courtroom, but the judge also denied the assembled crowd an opportunity to speak, as the proceedings were “not a public hearing.”
In the six months that followed Blair Manor’s closure, 18 former residents died after being relocated to other facilities. Patient advocates have argued that the “transfer trauma” played a role in some of their deaths. Kessel’s bill also calls for giving a village attorney the chance to address a court proceeding related to the potential closure of a local nursing home, according to the report.
