Advocacy Beyond the Office: Protecting New Jersey’s Long-Term Care Residents

Legal work does not end at the conference table. For Ryann M. Siclari, advocacy for older adults and their families includes not only advising clients one-on-one, but also speaking out when proposed laws could better protect vulnerable New Jersey residents.

That is why Ryann testified before New Jersey Senate and Assembly committees in support of Senate Bill 3023, legislation designed to protect residents of long-term care facilities during admission, contracting, and the Medicaid application process. The New Jersey Monitor covered the bill and quoted Ryann on why these protections matter.

Families often encounter nursing home admission agreements during moments of crisis: after a hospitalization, sudden cognitive decline, serious accident, or urgent need for round-the-clock care. Those agreements may contain complex provisions affecting legal rights, financial responsibility (i.e. responsible party language), access to counsel, arbitration, and Medicaid eligibility.   At present, each of these contracts are different and  should be reviewed by counsel prior to signing.  The provisions of S3023 would address this.

Key provisions of S3023 include:

·       Requiring standardized admission agreements so families are not forced to navigate facility-by-facility contracts in a moment of crisis.

·       Requiring greater transparency when Medicaid application assistance is offered, including disclosure of financial relationships with long-term care facilities and notice of the right to seek legal advice.

·       Limiting conflicted control over a resident’s finances by preventing facility owners, administrators, employees, affiliates, or others who financially benefit from the facility from managing a resident’s affairs without court oversight. 15

·       Protecting residents from being pressured into arbitration by making clear that binding arbitration cannot be required as a condition of admission or continued care.

Ryann’s testimony emphasized a simple principle: residents and families should not be rushed into signing documents they do not understand, particularly when those documents may affect a lifetime of savings, the right to seek legal advice, or the ability to hold a facility accountable.

This type of legislative advocacy reflects the same commitment that guides Ryann’s client work: helping families understand their options, protecting vulnerable loved ones, and pushing for systems that are clearer, fairer, and more accountable.

Community voices matter. New Jersey residents who support stronger protections for long-term care residents should contact their legislators and urge them to support S3023. A call or email can help lawmakers understand that families want admission paperwork to be clearer, Medicaid guidance to be more transparent, and vulnerable residents to be protected from conflicts of interest.

S3023 is an important reminder that effective legal advocacy can happen in many places: in client meetings, in court, in written testimony, before lawmakers considering reforms that affect real families across New Jersey, and through community members who speak up for change. If you have any questions about this matter, please call our office at 908.335.9601.