Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
– Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

Changing Policy

We strive to influence change in local communities across our nation.

Based on our core beliefs, we strive to require a basic level of care and will continue to pursue legislation to support our mission.  We are advocating for care facilities to provide immediate, onsite Basic Life Support (BLS) – Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Resuscitation.

If you would like to help us change policy please get involved by signing up to volunteer, support our work with a donation, and follow us on facebook to see the latest news.

To see existing state laws relating to providing Basic Life Support/Automated External Defibrillators, please click here.

Points of Pride

  • Arizona Senate Bill 1373 (Now Arizona Revised Statute 36-420, 420.01). PHOENIX, ARIZONA (June 2021) – RightCare Foundation, together with Senator Nancy Barto and AARP Arizona, successfully advocated to pass legislation improving the standard of care provided to vulnerable adults in Arizona. Senate Bill 1373 (sponsored by Senator Nancy Barto) mandates that certified health care institution caregivers MUST perform necessary CPR and first aid when appropriate before the arrival of emergency medical services (EMS). With immediate CPR, a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival can triple. Prior to S.B. 1373, caregivers were not required to (and often did not) perform CPR or first aid on assisted living residents in an emergency and simply called “911”. In Arizona, it had become disturbingly commonplace for EMS to arrive at a care institution eight minutes after receiving a 911 call to find an unresponsive resident and no one performing emergency care. This bill became law in Arizona on September 29, 2021.
  • Arizona House Bill 2076. Our work with the Arizona Attorney General’s Task Force Against Senior Abuse and the Healthcare Committee over the last three (3) years resulted in an amendment. The bill initially included health care professionals, however, due to statue, emergency medical personnel were not included. The amendment ensures EMS providers have appropriate and efficient access to the Secretary of State’s advance directives registry at the critical time of need.  This bill was sponsored by AZ Representative Heather Carter and was signed into law in April 2017 by Governor Ducey. By December 2018 medical professionals and first responders will have access to the Secretary of State Advance Directive Registry at time of need.
  • AARP, due to RightCare’s influence, has committed to a public awareness campaign promoting the availability of advance directives at time of need.  Initial allies include Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging, Arizona Attorney General’s Task Force Against Senior Abuse and HealthCare Committee. AARP is also committed to support 2018 Legislation initiated by RightCare.  The bill entitled “911 Operator Instructions” will impact the residents of Life Plan Communities and Group Homes licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services.  The bill would require these entities to ensure availability of a resident’s/patient’s advance directives prior to the arrival of first responders.
  • Beatitudes Campus of Care has renewed their commitment to best practice care by becoming RightCare Foundation’s first accredited site. Beatitudes is the first Life Plan Community in the nation to achieve this distinction. We are in the process of training all 450 of their staff in Immediate Resuscitation and all nurses will be credentialed in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
  • Phoenix Regional Dispatch Center is considering an amendment to dispatch protocol, due to RightCare’s influence.  The Center answers nearly 500,000 calls for service each year and dispatches for 28 fire departments in the Valley of the Sun. Amended protocol will guide callers not only to begin Immediate Resuscitation, but also direct callers from licensed Group Homes and Life Plan Communities, to ensure the patients original advance directives, if they exist, are available prior to the arrival of Emergency Medical Services.  This procedural update will help ensure a patients end-of-life wishes are respected and honored.
  • City of Phoenix Housing; 25,000 reside in their family and senior sites. RightCare has partnered with them to provide training for all staff and 100’s of residents and deliver 18 automatic external defibrillators.

 

 

Recent Donations

August 01 2023
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Ian Wagner
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