Res. No. 361 Title Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to adopt Assembly Bill A.4601, which would amend the public health law and the executive law, in relation to requiring nursing homes and home care agencies to submit fingerprints of current and prospective employees for the purposes of a search of criminal history records of the division of criminal justice services and establishing a registry of home care services personnel. Body Introduced by The Speaker (Council Member Miller) and Council Members Nelson, Davis, DeBlasio, Diaz, Fidler, Gerson, Katz, McMahon, Martinez, Monserrate, Recchia, Reyna, Sanders, Seabrook, Stewart, Felder and Gallagher; also Council Members Golden and Oddo Whereas, Elderly persons who are nursing home residents and recipients of home care services are at risk of being victimized by their caregivers; and Whereas, Although there are often attempts to address elder abuse after its occurrence, it is of paramount importance to utilize maximum efforts to prevent it; and Whereas, A significant number of nursing home workers who are prosecuted for abuse or violence have prior criminal records, including drug offenses, sex offenses, and assaults; and Whereas, Because New York State has no statutory screening requirement for nursing home or home care workers, individuals with criminal records or histories of abusing care recipients can easily obtain employment, with the care and trust of some of our most vulnerable citizens placed in their hands; and Whereas, While most caregivers are hard-working and dedicated, there is an increasing need to protect care recipients from abuse and other maltreatment; and Whereas, Assembly Bill A.4601 takes a first step toward preventing caregiver abuse by requiring fingerprinting of current and prospective employees of nursing homes and home care services agencies, authorizing the screening of those fingerprints against criminal history records of the division of criminal justice services, and establishing a home care worker registry; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to adopt Assembly Bill A.4601, which would amend the public health law and the executive law, in relation to requiring nursing homes and home care agencies to submit fingerprints of current and prospective employees for the purposes of a search of criminal history records of the division of criminal justice services and establishing a registry of home care services personnel. CAB LS #760 |10
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