Never Alone Act Signed into Law

COLUMBUS- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the Never Alone Act, sponsored by State Representatives Melanie Miller (R-City of Ashland) and Beth Lear (R-Galena) into law during a signing ceremony recently held at the Statehouse.

House Bill 236 previously passed with a unanimous vote of 89-0 in the Ohio House.  The Act ensures every patient has access to an advocate to be with them in a hospital, nursing home, or other congregate care setting - especially during a health emergency. 

“I want to thank Governor DeWine for signing the Never Alone Act from an idea into reality,” said Miller.  “The Never Alone Act ensures that everyone has someone who can speak for them and be by their side whenever they find themselves in a hospital, nursing home or other type of healthcare facility when they do not have a voice.”

“While the need for an advocate became obvious during COVID, it remains clear that patients and residents need access to loved ones whenever they are in a vulnerable healthcare situation,” Lear said. “We simply want to ensure no one is forced to suffer or die alone ever again. We must protect our most vulnerable citizens during a healthcare crisis.”

Specifically, the Never Alone Act:

• Requires a congregate care setting to inform a patient or resident that the patient or resident may designate an individual to serve as an advocate and to provide the patient or resident the opportunity to make a designation.
• Prohibits a congregate care setting from 1: denying a patient or resident access to an advocate and 2: prohibiting an advocate from being physically present with a patient or resident.
• Prohibits a political subdivision, public official, or state agency from issuing an order or rule, or enforcing on behalf of the federal government a federal order or rule, that would require a care setting to violate the bill’s provisions. 
• Requires the Department of Health to create a Never Alone information sheet and each congregate care setting to provide each patient or resident with a copy at the time of admission.

The Never Alone Act will go into effect 90 days after the Governor’s signature.