Substitute Senate Bill No. 1279 seeks to enhance the staffing requirements for nursing homes in Connecticut by increasing the minimum direct care hours provided to residents from 3 hours to 3.6 hours per resident per day, effective July 1, 2026. The bill also establishes a new requirement for social work staffing, mandating one full-time social worker for every sixty residents, and increases the standards for recreational staff compared to previous regulations. The Department of Public Health is responsible for implementing these changes and adopting necessary regulations.

To ensure compliance with the new staffing levels, the bill classifies violations as Class B offenses, which may incur civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. The Commissioner of Public Health is empowered to take disciplinary actions against nursing homes that do not meet these requirements, including the issuance of citations and potential license suspensions. The fiscal impact of these changes is estimated to cost the Department of Social Services approximately $24.2 million annually starting in FY 27.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
AGE Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 101: