Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick Releases Statement in Support of “Safe Staffing For Quality Care” Legislation

New City - Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick released the following statement today in response to the report from the New York Attorney General’s office finding that the New York State Department of Health (DOH) may have undercounted COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes by as much as 50 percent, and that nursing homes with lower staffing levels have had worse outbreaks and rates of death than safely-staffed nursing homes:

“I was deeply concerned with the revelations of yesterday’s report from the Attorney General that found severe failures of nursing home facilities to follow DOH guidelines, provide adequate PPE to patients and providers, and ensure appropriate levels of staffing in favor of padding their shareholders pockets. I have always supported safe staffing in medical facilities because I believe that people and patients should be prioritized over profits. I am proud to be a cosponsor of S.1168 also known as the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care” legislation that would require safe ratios of staff to patients, ensuring that patients receive the attention they deserve. I stand in solidarity with the New York State Nurses Association, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Doctors Council SEIU, and the millions of nurses, doctors, healthcare workers, and patients across New York who are calling for safe staffing to become law.”

Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick represents the 38th State Senate District, which covers four towns in Rockland and Westchester.