Nursing homes not complying with Ruthie's Law -- but do they have to?

Nursing homes not complying with Ruthie's Law -- but do they have to?

GOOD EVENING ONCEAGAIN.AN ALARMING NEWREPORT SAYS ONLY 50PERCENT OF NURSINGHOMES ARECOMPLYING WITHRUTHIES LAW.THAT LAW REQUIRESNURSING HOMES TOREPORT INCIDENTS OFABUSE TO ERIECOUNTY.SEVEN EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERMADISON CARTERTALKED TO COUNTYLEGISLATORS... WHOWANT TO KNOW WHYIT'S NOT BEINGENFORCED.QUITE FRANKLY WEWERE SHOCKED THATCOMPLIANCE WAS ASLOW AS IT WAS.ERIE COUNTYLEGISLATOR LISACHIMERA CHAIRS THECOUNTY'S HEALTHAND HUMAN SERVICESCOMMITTEE.MINORITY LEADER JOELORIGO SHARED THECOMPLIANCE REPORTWITH HER EARLIERTHIS WEEK.THIS LAW WASCREATED TO PROTECTOUR SENIORS AND ITWAS IMPORTANT THATWE WERE DOING THAT.THE GOES TO SHOWTHAT THISADMINISTRATION ISNOT USING EVERYTOOL IN ITS BELT TOGET THESE NURSINGHOMES TO COMPLYAND SOFTBALL TACTICSAREN'T WORKINGTHE COUNTYCOMMISSIONER OFSENIOR SERVICESWAS BROUGHT IN TOEXPLAIN TO THEHEALTH COMMISSIONWHAT WAS BEINGDONE TO ENFORCERUTHIE'S LAW...A LAW PROPOSED BYCOUNTY EXECUTIVEMARK POLONCARZ.SENIOR SERVICESCOMMISSIONER TOLDUS WHAT HE WASDOING HE SAID HE WASMAKING NICE PHONECALLS AND USINGSOFTBALL TACTICS TOTRY AND GET NURSINGHOMES IN COMPLIANCEWITH THE LAW.HIS RESPONSE HASLORIGO QUESTIONINGTHE COUNTYEXECUTIVE'SENFORCEMENT.THE LAW ALLOWS USTO FINE NURSINGHOMES FOR NOT BEINGIN COMPLIANCE ITSBEEN NEARLY 3 YEARSSINCE ITS PASSAGEAND WE HAVEN'TISSUED ONE FINE,THAT'S A PROBLEM.ACTUALLY SOMENURSING HOMES WERENOT QUITEUNDERSTANDING WHATTHEY NEEDED TO DO,SO THEY WERECOMPLYING HOWEVERTHERE WAS ACTUALLYNO RESPONSE FROMSOME WHICH ISPROBABLY THE MOSTFRUSTRATING ANDCONCERNING BECAUSEMY QUESTION IS WHYARE THEY NOTCOMPLYING WITH THELAW?WE REACHED OUT TOTHE ELDERWOODFACILITIES.ALL IX FACILITIES INWESTERN NEW YORKFAILED TO FILEREPORTS WITH THECOUNTY OVER THEPAST TWO YEARS.WE ASKED WHY..

IN ASTATEMENT VICEPRESIDENT CHUCKHAYES SAYS...THEYDON'T HAVE TO.HE SAYS "RUTHIE'SLAW" IS SUPERSEDEDBY A PUBLIC HEALTHLAW WHICH STATES ACOUNTY CAN'TENFORCEREGULATIONS FORHOSPITALS -- ANDELDERWOODCONSIDERS NURSINGHOMES TO BE"HOSPITALS."ELDERWOODCONSIDERS NURSINGHOMES TO B"HOSPITALS."THE COUNTYEXECUTIVE WASN'TAVAILABLE TODAY TORESPOND BUT WE DIDGET A STATEMENTFROM SENIORSERVICESCOMMISSIONER DAVIDSHENK.HE'S BEEN VISITINGFACILITIES ALL DAYAND SAID 19 OF THE 35HOMES ARE NOW INCOMPLIANCE AND HE'SEXPECTING MORE.AS FOR THEARGUMENT THAT THEYDON'T HAVE TOCOMPLY....HE SAYSTHEY'RE CONSULTINGWITH THE COUNTYATTORNEY'S OFFICEON NEXT STEPS.MC, 7EWN.