Existing law sets forth various requirements for certain medical facilities that provide care to persons who are aged or infirm, including, without limitation, a facility for intermediate care, facility for skilled nursing, a residential facility for groups and a home for individual residential care. (Chapter 449 of NRS) This bill establishes requirements for the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems of a senior living facility.
Section 7 of this bill defines “senior living facility” as any facility that receives any federal funding from Medicare, Medicaid or other federal health care program and which provides living assistance and related care to a resident of the facility who is an aged or infirm person, including, without limitation, a facility for intermediate care, facility for skilled nursing, a residential facility for groups and a home for individual residential care. Sections 3-8.7 of this bill define other terms related to ventilation systems in senior living facilities.
Section 9 of this bill sets forth a legislative declaration relating to ventilation systems in senior living facilities. Section 9.2 of this bill limits the applicability of the provisions of this bill to senior living facilities located in a county whose population is 100,000 or more (currently Clark and Washoe Counties). Section 9.5 of this bill requires the State Board of Health to review each new edition of certain standards incorporated into this bill to determine their suitability for this State.
Section 10 of this bill requires, to the extent money is available, the administrator of a senior living facility to ensure that the senior living facility is equipped with a functional ventilation system and to have periodic assessments of the existing system conducted by qualified adjusting personnel or qualified testing personnel. Section 10 also authorizes a facility that is certified as an assisted living facility to use certain federal money received to upgrade and maintain the ventilation system of that facility.
Section 14 of this bill prescribes requirements governing carbon dioxide detectors at a senior living facility. Section 14 also requires the administrator of a senior living facility to cause an adjustment to the ventilation if the concentration of carbon dioxide exceeds a certain amount.
Section 14.5 of this bill sets forth the requirements for qualified testing personnel to assess the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of a senior living facility. Section 14.5 also requires qualified testing personnel to prepare a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning assessment report, including certain information relating to the assessments conducted pursuant to that section.
Section 18 of this bill: (1) requires a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning assessment report to be reviewed by a mechanical engineer; and (2) imposes certain duties on the mechanical engineer to facilitate improvements determined necessary based on the report.
Section 19 of this bill requires a senior living facility to take certain corrective actions in response to a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning assessment report and review by a mechanical engineer. Section 20 of this bill imposes certain requirements governing the workforce used to perform such corrective actions.
Section 21 of this bill requires the administrator of a senior living facility to prepare a report on the work performed pursuant to a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning assessment report and review by a mechanical engineer and to submit the report to the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Section 22 of this bill provides that a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning assessment report and a report created by an administrator of a senior living facility pursuant to section 21 are public records and available for public inspection. Sections 22.5 and 23 of this bill provide for the expiration of the provisions of this bill where there is no longer sufficient federal money available to facilitate compliance with its provisions.