TSHL
Texas Silver Haired Legislature
If you are among the older generation in the state of Texas, here is information that will help resolve some of your quality-of-life concerns and care needs during this time ofyour life. The organization is the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature. Bobette and Jerome Doerrie are our Panhandle Area Agency on Aging representatives to the TSHL,and they volunteer numerous hours every day volunteering and gathering information fromanyone who is concerned about older Texans. In every presentation they do, they ask for concerns older Texans are having, and look for ways to help. If the Texas Legislature can change a regulation that could make a difference, members of the TSHL write resolutions which are the recommendations to the Legislature about a solution. A resolution is written after research and interviews, and it has the suggested language our Texas legislators and their staff may use or change if they see a need.
After long hours of research and traveling to and from Austin, the TSHL has compiled a
list of the Top Ten Resolutions for the 19 th TSHL Legislature, chosen from the 54
resolutions adopted this session that will be delivered in a bound Legislative Report to
representatives and senators across the state of Texas. TSHL members will also testify
in committee hearings and provide information to Texas Legislators to help with the
passing of the bills. Whether you are a senior or a family member of the older
generation, these resolutions should be considered, for they may be just what you have
been needing. TSHL members share individual stories with the legislators as well as
current statistics to emphasize the need for change.
(806) 202 2967 if you have questions,
want to thank them, or want more info about being represented in Texas Legislature.
They will be glad to hear other ways TSHL can improve your quality of life.
The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature is AN ON LINE NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION
serving all Texas seniors. The website is www.tshl.org.
Don’t let these incredible opportunities for you and yours slip by.
T-002 Resolution Min Staffing ratio for Alzheimer's
By: Patricia Gleason-Wynn, David Hackethorn, Gail Huffine, Connie Clements T-002R
Committee: Health and Human Resources
Set a Minimum Direct Care Staffing Ratio for Alzheimer’s Certified Assisted Living Facilities
A RESOLUTION TO: Require a minimum direct care staff-to-resident ratio that sufficiently addresses care and supervision needs of residents in Alzheimer’s certified Assisted Living Facilities.
WHEREAS, Texas Health and Human Services Commission is charged with creating and enforcing standards for Alzheimer’s certification of assisted living facilities (ALFs) and nursing facilities (NFs) that provide services to residents with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. Thirty-six percent of ALFs are Alzheimer’s certified with a total capacity of 20,979 residents, compared to only three percent of NFs with a total capacity of 1,376 residents. Residents living in ALFs or NFs with Alzheimer’s and related disorders have similar needs, thus requirements for Alzheimer’s certification in NFs and ALFs should be similar; and
WHEREAS, Alzheimer’s certified ALFs with 17 or more residents have a minimum required staffing ratio of two staff immediately available. This minimum staffing ratio for ALFs does not sufficiently provide for the needs of vulnerable residents with dementia especially given that many of these licensed facilities have capacities ranging up to 96 residents with an average of 30 beds per facility. By comparison, NFs with Alzheimer’s certification are required to maintain minimum ratios of one staff for every six residents during daytime - staffing deemed essential to providing residents with dementia with ample supervision, quality activities, and health care; and
WHEREAS, Residents in Alzheimer’s certified ALFs usually live in a locked environment; making them vulnerable to supervision by segregation rather than being attended to by sufficient staff. A staffing standard comparable to Alzheimer’s certified NFs would protect residents in Alzheimer’s certified ALFs and ensure they get quality care and adequate supervision which keeps them safe and well-cared for; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 20th Texas Silver-Haired Legislature recommends that the 89th Texas Legislature pass legislation to amend the rule that establishes a sufficient minimum direct care staff-to-resident ratio that addresses the care and supervision needs of residents with dementia in Alzheimer’s certified Assisted Living Facilities.
PASSED AND APPROVED on April 11, 2024, by the Health and Human Resources Committee
_______________________
Rea Barry, Chair
PASSED AND APPROVED on ___________, 2024, by the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature.
_________________________ Sherry Hubbard, Speaker
ATTEST: _______________________
Pat Gleason-Wynn, Secretary
T-04T-046R Medical Director Certification in LTC Facilities
By: Edward L. Rogers No. T-046R
Committee: Health and Human Resources
Certification Credentialing for Post-Acute and Long-Term-Care Facility Medical Directors
A RESOLUTION TO: Establish a professional Certification Requirement for Medical Directors in Texas Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Facilities.
WHEREAS, Skilled nursing facilities play a crucial role in providing essential services to older adult residents, requiring competent and qualified medical leadership. Therefore, relevant authorities, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and professional bodies should establish, monitor, and enforce compliance with certification requirements; and
WHEREAS, ensuring that medical directors possess the necessary qualifications, skills, and knowledge to oversee the healthcare needs of older adult residents is vital to guaranteeing the highest standards of care for older Texans; and
WHEREAS, certification of medical directors will contribute to the enhancement of healthcare services, the protection of residents' rights, and the overall improvement of post-acute and long-term care facilities in Texas, and it will raise awareness among the older population, their families, and the community at large about the importance of certified medical directors in long-term care facilities; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the 20TH Texas Silver-Haired Legislature recommends the 89th Texas Legislature require professional certification for medical directors in long-term care facilities across the State of Texas through certification by the American Board of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
PASSED AND APPROVED on April 5, 2024, by the Health and Human Resources Committee,
Rea Barry,
Chair
PASSED AND APPROVED on ____________________, by the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature
Sherry Hubbard
Speaker
ATTEST: Pat Gleason-Wynn
Secretary
T-036 Lockdown Resolution Accepted w/ Changes
By: Charles Scoma T-029
Committee: Health and Human Resources
Family Caregiver Training to Prevent Out-Of-Home Placements
A RESOLUTION TO: Instruct Health and Human Services to develop an ongoing, proactive community-based family caregiver training initiative focused on preventing out-of-home facility placement due to problematic behavioral challenges in adult children.
WHEREAS, About 6% of adults with an intellectual disability will be affected by some form of dementia after the age of 60 (with the percentage increasing with age) and for adults with Down Syndrome, studies show that at least 25% will be affected with dementia after age 40 and at least 50% to 70% will be affected with dementia after age 60; and
WHEREAS, There are an estimated 641,000 adults aged 60+ with cognitive and other disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury). This number is projected to double to 1,242,794 by 2030, coinciding with the aging population of baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964. Families are still the primary caregivers for adults with developmental disabilities and are themselves aging. About 76% of individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities reside at home, and
WHEREAS, Many adults with an intellectual disability live in community settings, mostly at home with support from families, friends, and service providers, and with advanced age, many experience age-related conditions and diseases, including dementia. Care and support for adults with intellectual disability affected by dementia can be primarily provided within the community, typically at home, and appropriate services can prevent institutionalization; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 20th Texas Silver-Haired Legislature encourages and strongly recommends that the 89th Texas Legislature enact legislation to instruct HHS to develop an ongoing, proactive community-based family caregiver training initiative focused on preventing out-of-home facility placement.
PASSED AND APPROVED WITH CHANGES on May 4, 2024 by the Health and Human Resources Committee
Rea Barry _________________________________
Chair
PASSED AND APPROVED on by the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature
________________________________________
Speaker
ATTEST____________________________Secretary
T-029 Family Caregiver Training to Prevent Out of Home Placement
By: Charles Scoma T-029
Committee: Health and Human Resources
Family Caregiver Training to Prevent Out-Of-Home Placements
A RESOLUTION TO: Instruct Health and Human Services to develop an ongoing, proactive community-based family caregiver training initiative focused on preventing out-of-home facility placement due to problematic behavioral challenges in adult children.
WHEREAS, About 6% of adults with an intellectual disability will be affected by some form of dementia after the age of 60 (with the percentage increasing with age) and for adults with Down Syndrome, studies show that at least 25% will be affected with dementia after age 40 and at least 50% to 70% will be affected with dementia after age 60; and
WHEREAS, There are an estimated 641,000 adults aged 60+ with cognitive and other disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury). This number is projected to double to 1,242,794 by 2030, coinciding with the aging population of baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964. Families are still the primary caregivers for adults with developmental disabilities and are themselves aging. About 76% of individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities reside at home, and
WHEREAS, Many adults with an intellectual disability live in community settings, mostly at home with support from families, friends, and service providers, and with advanced age, many experience age-related conditions and diseases, including dementia. Care and support for adults with intellectual disability affected by dementia can be primarily provided within the community, typically at home, and appropriate services can prevent institutionalization; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 20th Texas Silver-Haired Legislature encourages and strongly recommends that the 89th Texas Legislature enact legislation to instruct HHS to develop an ongoing, proactive community-based family caregiver training initiative focused on preventing out-of-home facility placement.
PASSED AND APPROVED WITH CHANGES on May 4, 2024 by the Health and Human Resources Committee
Rea Barry _________________________________
Chair
PASSED AND APPROVED on by the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature
________________________________________
Speaker
ATTEST____________________________Secretary
T-061 Increase Base Wages of Paid Community Care Caseworkers
By: Alan Mathis, Rosemary Mathis, Jaime Cantu T-061R
Committee: Health and Human Resources
Increase Base Wages of All Paid Community Care Caseworkers to $18.75 per Hour
with an Annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment
A RESOLUTION TO: Increase wages for Health & Human Services (HHSC) employees that are responsible to assist older Texans and those with disabilities desiring to enter State-funded Title XIX (Medicaid) and Title XX (Social Security) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and then continue to ensure correct and sufficient care by conducting 90-day visits thereafter.
WHEREAS, The essential services provided by the local Community Care Caseworkers within the various state regions are short-staffed and have high turnover rates due to the low pay and dangerous situations in which they must approach these unknown applicants, alone at their residences, and having no idea if the individual may have been convicted of any felonies, assaults, drug use and where the applicant’s animals may bite the HHS personnel or even the unsanitary conditions that they may encounter; and
WHEREAS, While the starting salary of $2,688.76 ($16.80 an hour) sounds adequate, it does not take into account that the newest hires are at the bottom spectrum in regard to pay. Most use their own older automobiles for which they normally drive three days per week to meet with their 200+ cases every 90 days and normally receive up to 10 new applicants per month. Our neighboring States have higher salaries for these services: Oklahoma pays $20.48 while Louisiana pays $18.52 per hour; and
WHEREAS, On May 3, 2023, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a proposed rule aimed at ensuring access to Medicaid services, which has several notable provisions aimed at addressing HCBS workforce challenges. The proposed rule would require states to demonstrate that payment rates are “adequate to ensure sufficient direct care workforce to meet the needs of beneficiaries.” It is more cost effective, by far, to have the care provided at home of the applicant for 10 to 30 hours a week rather than 24/7 in a facility; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 20th Silver-Haired Legislature recommends that the 89th Texas Legislature increases the base wage for direct service workers to be paid $18.75 per hour with an annual cost-of-living adjustment thereafter.
PASSED AND APPROVED ON April 5, 2024 by the Health and Human Resources Committee
Rea Barry
Chair
PASSED AND APPROVED ON _______, 2024 by the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature.
Sherry Hubbard
Speaker
ATTEST: Pat Gleason-Wynn
Secretary
T-070 Early Mental Health Screening
By: Charles Scoma T-070
Committee: Health and Human Resources
Early Screening for Mental Health Issues
A RESOLUTION TO: Advocate for legislation to increase early screening for mental health issues.
WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in the United States today, about one in seven people is over the age of 65. According to the National Council on Aging, the years spent in older adulthood have the potential to be the longest stage of life. Because symptoms of mental health issues can be similar to those of other diseases, depression is often missed in older adults which may lead to unnecessary suffering or impaired daily function; and
WHEREAS, According to Mental Health Texas, more than 20 percent of patients older than 60 have a neurological or mental issue. The most common conditions that lead to disability in this population are dementia and depression. Other common behavioral conditions include anxiety and substance abuse. The increasing rates of mental health issues in older adults indicate the need for early screening and recognition to prevent significant declines in quality of life and increased health care costs; and
WHEREAS, According to the Texas Demographic Center, more than 345 Texas residents reach age 65 each day. By 2030, the older adult population in Texas will reach nearly 6 million. The increasing rates of mental health issues in older adults indicates the need for early screening and recognition to prevent significant declines in quality of life and increased health care costs; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, The 20th Texas Silver Haired Legislature urges the 89th Texas Legislature to support legislation that will increase funding to raise awareness for early screening for mental health issues in older Texans by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
PASSED AND APPROVED WITH CHANGES on May 4, 2024, by the Health and Human Resources Committee.
Rea Barry
------------------------------------------------
Chair
PASSED AND APPROVED on May ____, 2024, by the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature.
Speaker
ATTEST:
Secretary
Resolutions Adopted by TSHL May 2022
Top 10 Resolutions Bolded (not ranked)
