Under a new admissions policy recommended Thursday by the County Board's Valley Hi Committee, future residents of the county-run Valley Hi Nursing Home near Woodstock may not smoke in the building.
State law prohibits smoking in public buildings.
However, the Illinois Department of Public Health, which oversees nursing home operations in the state, has told nursing home Administrator Jon Platakis that current residents must be allowed to smoke because they have rights similar to those of private homeowners. However, state regulators said the county may prohibit future residents from smoking, if that policy is made clear at the time of admission. Some board members have argued the county was being hypocritical by claiming financial damages for treating nursing home patients with smoking-related illnesses while continuing to allow them to smoke.