Arizona

Bills look to improve care, hold Arizona assisted living facilities accountable

Published

4 months ago

February 15, 2024

Bills look to improve care, hold Arizona assisted living facilities accountable

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — The fight to improve patient care at assisted living facilities is heating up at the state capitol.

Several bills designed to hold the facilities more accountable have been introduced and are receiving bipartisan support. Allegations of abuse, neglect and downright dysfunction continue to pop up at assisted living centers across the state.

Jennifer Awinda is a memory care facility manager who has spent 20-plus years taking care of vulnerable patients. She recently decided to walk away from the job because of the frustration of not being able to do her job. “We’re being beaten up from the top and being beaten up from the bottom, and so that’s why I took my license off the wall three months ago,” said Awinda. “I just can’t; I can’t be responsible for 100 patients with dementia when I don’t have support.” Awinda claims widespread staffing issues, a lack of training, and accountability are the biggest problems facing long-term care facilities in Arizona.

AARP of Arizona director Dana Kennedy is on the frontline fighting to improve seniors’ care. State lawmakers are considering a number of bills to improve patient care at assisted living and memory care communities. “Many of the elected officials had stories that have happened to their own families, or know somebody that this happened to,” said Kennedy. “I feel very confident that elected officials want better oversight, as well. They have to answer to constituents and this is about holding facilities accountable.”

Two bills, HB 2764 and HB 2587, passed out of the House Health and Human Services Committee Thursday. The bills call for an increase in the daily fines facilities pay when cited for violations, going up from a maximum of $500 per violation to $1,000 per person, based on the number of people impacted by the violation.

The proposals also call for onsite monitors for repeat offenders and authorize protective service workers to file for emergency orders of protection against harassment. Another bill, HB 2653, which passed out of committee Monday, would require assisted living facilities to report whenever a resident or employee is injured.

Former caregiver Jodi Fialkin, whose mother battled Alzheimer’s, is pleased to see lawmakers stepping up to protect seniors. “I am very excited by it, very encouraged by it,” said Fialkin. “We have many, many things to accomplish, to improve Alzheimer’s and dementia care, so this is a good first start.”

A number of lawmakers raised concerns that the fines proposed should be higher, which could lead to changes in the bills moving forward.

The bills will now move on to the House Rules Committee.

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Arizona

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi commits to Arizona, first pledge of 2026 class

Published

45 mins ago

June 26, 2024

Press Room

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi commits to Arizona, first pledge of 2026 class

Arizona has been on a tear this month, picking up 13 commitments in June for its 2025 recruiting class after entering with only two. And now it already has one for the following class.

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi committed to the UA on Tuesday night, giving the Wildcats their first pledge of the 2026 class nearly 18 months before those recruits could officially sign.

he 6-foot-3, 265-pound Langi, who goes by ‘Bobo’ rather than Michael, is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 509 player in the 2026 class. He’s also considered the No. 41 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 79 prospect from California.

Langi, who was offered by Arizona in January, picked the Wildcats over offers from ASU, Colorado and Penn State, among others. He is the younger brother of 3-star offensive lineman Peter Langi, a 2025 recruit whom the UA had in for an official visit last weekend.

Both Langis play for Archbishop Riordan in San Francisco, the same school where Arizona recently got a commitment from 3-star offensive lineman Losipini Tupou. They are no relation to Sam Langi, who appeared in 21 games (with four starts) on the offensive line for the Wildcats from 2020-23.

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Arizona

Former Baylor pitcher Collin McKinney commits to Arizona baseball

Published

8 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

Former Baylor pitcher Collin McKinney commits to Arizona baseball

In winning both the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament titles, Arizona put up some of the best pitching numbers in the country and led the nation in a trio of categories.

The Kevin Vance effect was real, and it’s made the Wildcats a desirable destination for pitchers hoping to improve their pro prospects.

Arizona has landed a second potential weekend starter from the NCAA transfer portal, getting a commitment Tuesday from former Baylor right-hander Collin McKinney.

The 6-foot-5 Texas native comes to Tucson with three years of eligibility, but with a big 2025 season could get drafted. He’s coming off a 2024 campaign as a redshirt freshman (he sat out 2023 due to injury) in which he started 14 games for Baylor and was 3-6 with a 6.70 ERA.

McKinney struck out 60 batters in 49.2 innings but also walked 35 and allowed 11 home runs. He had back-to-back 10-strikeout performances midway through the season but didn’t go more than four innings in any of his final seven starts.

He is Arizona’s second portal pickup, both righties who have started throughout their college career. Last week the Wildcats landed ex-Rutgers RHP Christian Coppola.

Coppola is ranked by 64Analytics as the No. 30 transfer, while McKinney is No. 168. For perspective, none of the players Arizona has lost to the portal was ranked in the top 1,000.

The UA is likely to lose all three weekend starters with righties Clark Candiotti and Cam Walty graduating and lefty Jackson Kent expected to get drafted and start his pro career.

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