Illinois State Ombudsman, Jamie Freschi, on Resident Dumping and Two Bills to Protect Residents

March 21, 2017

Illinois State Ombudsman, Jamie Freschi, was featured in an article on the State Journal Register. In the article Freschi talks about the high number of facilities not readmitting residents after a hospital transfer, e.g. “dumping” and the two bills she is lobbying to get passed. Freschi states that this rapid increase in “dumping" is due to nursing facilities’ unwillingness to properly manage difficult behavior. Freschi and State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch are supporting both S.B. 1624 and H.B. 3392

“Both bills would institute new monetary penalties for improper discharges, make it harder for such discharges and understaffing to continue, and give long-term care ombudsmen more authority to advocate on behalf of individuals. The legislation also would give the Illinois Department of Public Health the legal authority to order a resident readmitted to a facility if he or she prevails in a public hearing conducted by the department.”

Read the full article here.