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.