Rep. Kenyatta’s Bill; Nusing Home Residents & Scrutinizing Prison System by Van Stone vspfoundation@yahoo.com (610) 931-8810

Rep. Kenyatta’s Bill; Nusing Home Residents & Scrutinizing Prison System
by Van Stone vspfoundation@yahoo.com (610) 931-8810



State Representative Kenyatta Johnson
D-Philadelphia; Improving Public Safety Advocate

The ultimate state Representative Kenyatta Johnson has firmly supported residents who are visiting nursing homes in Pennsylvania for sleep station purposes or permanent living purposes as they try to improve their wellness. The State House unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Kenyatta Johnson, D-Phila. to better inform and protect residents and prospective residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities from potential conflicts of interest in their treatment. The measure (H.B. 309), which passed 193-0, would mandate that attending or primary care physicians at nursing or assisted living facilities must inform current or prospective residents, their family and legal guardian about any financial interest the physician has in the care facility. Currently, such disclosure is not required. New doctor bills alarm many nursing home residents.

"The bottom line must be the welfare of the patient, not the welfare of a physician's financial investment.” This will reduce bill errors when observed respectfully.

"This doesn't mean that just because a primary care physician at a home has a financial interest in its operation, that they are going to let that influence patient treatment. But making their investment known up front provides patients and their guardians information to consider in their care decisions." Johnson said it is particularly important that such information be made available because the aging children of the population explosion of the 1950s and 1960s will place a greater caseload on nursing homes and residential care facilities in the coming years.

Another bill now advances to the Senate regarding the state's criminal justice system. This is a new bill introduced by State Representative Kenyatta Johnson (D) of Philadelphia. On Friday, May 22, Rep. Johnson held a press conference at 13th and Filbert Street, central section of Philadelphia, PA. His interest was prison reduction. Johnson says his bill would require the state to scrutinize the prison system and form recommendations from their findings. "We want to also look at reentry as it relates to inmates coming back into society and what types of programs are available to them. We want to also look at the issues of mental health and drug abuse within the prison system," says Johnson. The representative says he'd like to study what makes people likely to be jailed multiple times as well. Johnson says the measure might help with the state's budget problems. "We also want to look at the costing aspect of incarcerating prisoners throughout the state of Pennsylvania. I think if we reform our system we probably would save more money at this particular time in our society as well," says Johnson.

State Representative Kenyatta Johnson is introducing legislation that would require a top to bottom review of the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania. Why are prisons growing instead of inmate population decreasing in the Pennsylvania region?
"We are wasting billions of dollars and diminishing millions of lives." State Representative Johnson, who represents South and Southwest Philadelphia, says the criminal justice system in the commonwealth, needs repair.

“We believe it's time to bring together the best minds in Pennsylvania to confer, report and make concrete recommendations on how to reform the process.” As a freshman representative, Kenyatta clearly emphasizes how State Rep. Ronald Waters is a "strong supporter" of the Bill. State representative Ronald Waters is chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. Rep. Waters also represents sections of West Philadelphia.

“There's something wrong with the way we are responding to crime. I believe we have to fix it.” Both say prisons are overcrowded, sentencing policies are uneven and often unfair, ex-convicts are poorly integrated into society, and the growing problem of gang violence is not getting the attention it deserves. (Darryl Nutter contributed to this article.)