S105 - 2021 Appropriations Act. (SL 2021-180)

Overview: Section 9E.7 of S.L. 2021-180, as amended by Section 3.2(a) of S.L. 2021-189, amends the law (G.S. 131D-4.4A) providing adult care home infection prevention requirements. The definition of “adult care home staff” is amended to mean any employee of an adult care home, whether or not they are involved in direct resident care.

To prevent transmission of infectious diseases, each adult care home is required to do the following:

• Implement written infection prevention and control policies and procedures based on accepted national standards consistent with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on infection control. These policies and procedures must be maintained in the facility and accessible to adult care home staff. A list of detailed items that must be addressed in the policies and procedures is provided
• Require and monitor compliance with the facility's infection prevention and control policies and procedures.
• Update the infection prevention and control policies and procedures to maintain consistency with accepted national standards.
• Designate one on-site staff member for each noncontiguous facility who is knowledgeable about the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on infection control to direct the facility's infection control activities and ensure that all adult care home staff is trained in the facility's written infection prevention and control policies and procedures. Any nonsupervisory staff member designated to direct the facility's infection control activities must complete the infection control course developed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (G.S. 131D-4.5C).
• When a communicable disease outbreak has been identified at a facility or there is an emerging infectious disease threat, the facility must ensure implementation of the facility's infection control and prevention policies and procedures, or specific guidance or directives if issued by DHHS or the local health department.

This section became effective January 1, 2022.