Delaware County Review

The Ohio House of Representatives has unanimously passed House Bill 236, known as the Never Alone Act. The bill's sponsors, State Representatives Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) and Beth Lear (R-Galena), announced the legislation, which aims to ensure that every patient in a hospital, nursing home, or other congregate care setting has access to an advocate, particularly during health emergencies.

"Over the last three years, we have gained heightened awareness of the need to protect the rights of a patient to have access to a loved one or advocate to act on behalf of their best interest while in a hospital or care facility," said Miller. "The Never Alone Act ensures that everyone has someone who can speak for them when they do not have a voice."

The Never Alone Act includes several key provisions:

- Requires congregate care settings to inform patients or residents that they may designate an individual as an advocate and provide them with the opportunity to make such a designation.

- Prohibits congregate care settings from denying patients or residents access to an advocate and from prohibiting advocates from being physically present with patients or residents.

- Prevents political subdivisions, public officials, or state agencies from issuing orders or rules that would require care settings to violate the bill’s provisions.

- Mandates the Department of Health create a Never Alone information sheet and requires each congregate care setting to provide this information at admission.

"The Never Alone Act is a patient and resident-centered bill. Our goal was to protect Ohioans when they are most vulnerable and ensure they have access to a loved one to hold their hand or provide comfort," said Lear. "The isolation that caused our citizens to suffer and die alone during COVID should never be allowed to happen again."

The bill now moves forward for consideration by the Ohio Senate.