Florida Senate - 2009 CS for SM 152 By the Committee on Health Regulation; and Senator Aronberg 588-04438-09 2009152c1 1 Senate Memorial 2 A memorial to the Congress of the United States, 3 urging Congress to support federally funded and state 4 funded home and community-based services for 5 individuals with disabilities of any age, especially 6 elders. 7 8 WHEREAS, federal and state financial assistance is provided 9 for nursing home care under the Medicare and Medicaid programs 10 for elders and individuals with disabilities, and 11 WHEREAS, home and community-based services are a valuable 12 cost-effective alternative to institutional care which benefit 13 both the individual receiving such services and the federal and 14 state programs that fund such services, and 15 WHEREAS, studies document that elders and individuals with 16 disabilities who receive health care in the their homes or other 17 community settings in contrast to those who receive care in a 18 nursing home experience improved outcomes, quality of care, and 19 quality of life, and 20 WHEREAS, publicly funded programs that cover home and 21 community-based services for elders and individuals with 22 disabilities are limited, and 23 WHEREAS, federal and state programs provide limited support 24 for home and community-based services that serve as an 25 alternative to institutional care, and 26 WHEREAS, support is needed to develop consistent quality 27 assurance measures for home and community-based services, and 28 WHEREAS, individuals receiving home and community-based 29 services deserve an assurance of protection from abuse and 30 neglect, and 31 WHEREAS, home and community-based services benefit not only 32 our parents and grandparents, but also our children and 33 grandchildren, NOW, THEREFORE, 34 35 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 36 37 That the Congress of the United States is urged to: 38 (1) Increase federal financial assistance and encourage 39 states to increase financial assistance for, and broaden access 40 to, publicly supported home and community-based services for 41 elders and individuals with disabilities; and 42 (2) Implement on the federal and state level more unified 43 training and supervision standards for certified nurse 44 assistants and home health aides. 45 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be 46 dispatched to the President of the United States, to the 47 President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the 48 United States House of Representatives, and to each member of 49 the Florida delegation to the United States Congress.