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Bill

Bill

S 8888

Relates to creating the family essential program

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Cordell Cleare and 1 co-sponsor

Creates a Family Essential Program to empower essential family caregivers with advocacy, education, and resources to improve person-centered care in long-term care settings.

REFERRED TO AGING
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 8888

Summary of Bill S.8888 (2025-2026) – New York

Title

Relates to creating the family essential program

Purpose and Intent

  • Establish a new program within New York’s elder law framework called the Family Essential Program.
  • Create an advocacy, collaboration, and education infrastructure focused on essential family caregivers in nursing homes and other long-term care communities.
  • Aim to support residents by improving person-centered care, dignity, comfort, and maintaining residents at as high a functioning level as possible through caregiver engagement and education.

Key Provisions

1) Creation of the Family Essential Program

  • A new program is established within the office (presumably the Department of Health or relevant elder-law office) to support essential family caregivers.
  • Functions include advocacy, collaboration, and education for family caregivers in long-term care settings.

2) Standards and Practices

  • The program will set standards and practices to assist nursing homes and long-term care providers by implementing various advocacy structures, including:
    • (a) Monthly meetings with family essential care visitors and the resident representative in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
    • (b) Accessible materials and care guides regarding statewide long-term care services and support systems.
    • (c) Education sessions and modules to support essential family caregivers in helping residents receive person-centered care, dignity, comfort, and maintaining the resident at their highest level of functioning.

3) Program Activities and Deliverables

  • The Family Essential Program shall provide:
    • (a) Monthly meetings in each nursing home/long-term care community to solicit feedback on care improvements, with information/data shared with the Department of Health.
    • (b) Monthly attendance at regional and individual facilities to connect families with statewide resources and collaborative community care tools.
    • (c) Self-paced training modules for essential caregivers on best practices for collaborating with facilities to support residents’ functioning.
    • (d) Coordination of advocacy and education with the office and other stakeholders.

Who Is Affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Essential family caregivers of residents in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
  • Indirectly affects:
    • Residents in nursing homes/long-term care facilities (through enhanced engagement and advocacy).
    • Nursing homes and other long-term care providers (through implementation of new standards, meeting requirements, and resource sharing).
    • The State’s Office (likely the Department of Health) by creating reporting/data-sharing requirements.

Timeline and Procedural Details

  • Effective Date: The act takes effect on the ninety-first day after it becomes law.
  • Enactment Process: Introduced in the Senate (January 13, 2026) and referred to the Committee on Aging.
  • Reporting/Data Sharing: The program requires that information and data from monthly meetings be provided to the Department of Health, suggesting ongoing reporting obligations.

Administrative Notes

  • Co-sponsors: Sen. Cordell Cleare and Sen. Robert Jackson.
  • The bill amendments are contained within Article 2 of the elder law, adding a new Title 2: Family Essential Program.
  • No explicit appropriation or funding details are provided in the text issued; if enacted, the program would require funding and administrative resources to implement meetings, materials, and training modules.

Bottom Line

Bill S.8888 creates a formal Family Essential Program to empower essential family caregivers through structured advocacy, education, and resource access, with monthly meetings, standardized materials, and self-paced training to promote resident well-being and person-centered care in long-term care settings.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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