Resolve, Directing the Commissioner of Health and Human Services To Develop Strategies To Keep Senior Citizens Safe from Falls
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1707
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: CAMPBELL, COURTNEY, BOWLES, CRA YEN, LEWIN, RICHARDSON, TARDY, MARTIN, NASS, ROSEN

Legislative Document 
No. 1707 
H.P. 1214 
House of Representatives, December 20,2005 
Resolve, Directing the Commissioner of Health and Human Services 
To Develop Strategies To Keep Senior Citizens Safe from Falls 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 14,2005. Referred to the Committee on 
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401. 
Presented by Representative CAMPBELL of Newfield. 
Cosponsored by Senator COURTNEY of York and 
--/y/~d: /J7.1JJdC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BOWLES of Sanford, CRA YEN of Lewiston, LEWIN of Eliot, Speaker 
RICHARDSON of Brunswick, TARDY of Newport, Senators: MARTIN of Aroostook, NASS 
of York, ROSEN of Hancock. 
Printed on recyded paper 
Sec. 1. Research. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Health and Human 
Services shall promote and support research to: 
1. Improve the identification of older adults who have a high risk of falling; 
2. Improve data collection and analysis to identify fall risk and protective factors; 
3. Design, implement and evaluate the most effective fall prevention interventions; 
4. Improve strategies that are proven to be effective in reducing falls by tailoring 
those strategies to specific populations of older adults; 
5. Maximize the dissemination of proven, effective fall prevention interventions; 
6. Improve proven interventions to prevent falls among older adults; 
7. 
Improve the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of elderly fall victims and 
those at high risk for falls; 
8. Assess the risk of falls occurring in various settings; 
9. 
Identify barriers to the adoption of proven interventions with respect to the 
prevention of falls among older adults; 
10. Develop, implement and evaluate the most effective approaches to reducing falls 
among high-risk older adults living in communities and long-term care and assisted living 
facilities; and 
11. 
Evaluate the effectiveness of community programs designed to prevent falls 
among older adults; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Education. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Health and Human 
Services, either directly or through awarding grants, contracts or cooperative agreements 
to qualified organizations, institutions or consortia of qualified organizations and 
institutions, shall provide professional education for physicians and allied health 
professionals and elder service providers in fall prevention, evaluation and management; 
and be it further 
Sec. 3. Demonstration project. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Health 
and Human Services shall: 
1. Oversee and support demonstration and research projects to be carried out by 
qualified organizations, institutions or consortia of qualified organizations and institutions 
in the following areas: 
A. 
A statewide demonstration project assessing the utility of targeted fall risk 
screening and referral programs; 
B. Programs designed for community-dwelling older adults that use fall intervention 
approaches, including physical activity, medication assessment and reduction of 
medication when possible, vision enhancement and home-modification strategies; 
Page I - 122LR2640(1)-1 
C. Programs that are targeted to new fall victims who are at a high risk for 2nd falls 
and that are designed to maximize independence and quality of life for older adults, 
particularly those older adults with functional limitations; and 
D. Private sector and public-private partnerships to develop technologies to prevent 
falls among older adults and prevent or reduce injuries when falls occur; and 
2. 
Award grants, contracts or cooperative agreements to qualified organizations, 
institutions or consortia of qualified organizations and institutions to design, implement 
and evaluate fall prevention programs using proven intervention strategies in residential 
and institutional settings; and be it further 
Sec. 4. Study effects of falls on health care costs. Resolved: 
That the 
II 
Commissioner of Health and Human Services shall conduct a review of the effects of 
falls on health care costs, the potential for reducing falls and the most effective strategies 
for reducing health care costs associated with falls. No later than November 2, 2006, the 
commissioner shall submit a report that includes findings and recommendations, 
including suggested legislation, to the First Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve, which is modeled on federal legislation, directs the Commissioner of 
Health and Human Services to, among other things: 
I. Promote and support research designed to develop, implement and evaluate the 
most effective approaches to reducing and treating falls among high-risk older adults; 
2. Educate health care professionals and providers about fall prevention, evaluation 
and management; 
3. Oversee and support demonstration projects designed to prevent falls among older 
adults and to prevent or reduce injuries associated with such falls; and 
4. Evaluate and report to the Legislature on the effect of falls on health care costs, 
the potential for reducing falls and the most effective strategies for reducing health care 
costs associated with falls.