Substitute House Bill 120 Summary

• Enacts section 3721.20 of the Ohio Revised Code to require long-term care facilities to permit compassionate caregiver visits during epidemics, pandemics, or states of emergency.

• Defines compassionate care situations to include end of life, recent admission adjustment, grief, weight loss/dehydration requiring encouragement, emotional distress from isolation, and residents in transmission-based precautions.

• Requires facilities to develop and implement visitation policies within 30 days that permit visits at any time, provide at least two visitors for a minimum of two hours for end of life residents, and be least restrictive while providing maximum access.

• Mandates all compassionate caregivers and health care workers undergo screening for contagious disease exposure, provide valid identification, use personal protective equipment, and have visitor information logged by the facility.

• Permits essential non-employee workers including hospice care, home health, emergency medical services, dialysis technicians, clergy, and contractors to enter facilities with screening requirements, except in emergency situations.