Nursing Home Residents' Legal Access to Onsite Professional Psychosocial Care: Federal and State Regulations Do Not Meet Minimum Professional Social Work Standards.

Background And Objective: The federal government holds nursing homes (NHs) responsible for assessing and addressing resident psychosocial needs. The staff person most responsible for psychosocial care planning is the social worker. However, the federal government requires only NHs with 120+ beds to employ one full-time social worker, and that person need not hold a social work degree.