Dear Advocate:
Family Councils
Dear Advocate,
I am starting a family council at my father's facility. How do I go
about getting the names and addresses of the residents and their family
members so I can notify them of our next family council meeting?
Sincerely,
Stumped in Santa Monica
Dear Stumped in Santa Monica,
Under current law it states that when a family council exists, the facility
shall include notice of the family council meetings in (at least) a quarterly
mailing informing family members or representatives of the residents of
the time, place, and date of the meetings, as well as the person to contact
regarding involvement in the family council. Furthermore, the law states
that family councils shall also be provided adequate space on a prominent
bulletin board or other posting area for the display of meeting notices,
minutes, newsletters or other pertinent family council information. Therefore,
it is the facility's responsibility and not yours, to inform family members
of resident council meetings. It might be a good idea, however, to make
up a (monthly or quarterly) notice of the meeting to give to the facility
to mail out. A violation of the above-mentioned law constitutes a violation
of the residents' rights and therefore constitutes a class "B"
citation.