Maine Enacts Fall Prevention Legislation

While the Home Safety Council has worked to promote fall prevention legislation at the federal level, S. 1531 the Keeping Seniors Safe from Falls Act, state coalitions have been promoting a version of the bill at the state level. Maine became the first state to pass fall prevention legislation on March 30, 2006 when Governor John Baldacci signed it into law.

The Maine legislation directs the Maine Commissioner of Health and Human Services to develop strategies to keep older adults safe from falls. This legislation is modeled after S. 1531, the Keeping Seniors Safe from Falls Act introduced in the U.S. Senate and actively promoted by the Home Safety Council as part of the Falls Free Coalition.

Summary of the Maine Falls Prevention legislation:

This resolution, which is modeled on federal legislation, directs the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to, among other things:

1. 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.

To view the Maine legislation, please click here.

For more information on the Keeping Seniors Safe from Falls Act, please click here.

For more information on the Falls Free Coalition, please click here.