CANHR Recognizes Long Time Advocate Lillian Hyatt

CANHR’s mission is to advocate on behalf of California’s
long term care consumers. In 2014 CANHR took on its biggest legislative effort to date, crafting 14 pieces of legislation in support of residents’ rights in RCFEs, in addition to the Medi-Cal Recovery reform bill SB 1124.

Lillian Hyatt, M.S.W., is a longtime CANHR advocate and has played major roles in CANHR’s 2014 legislative advocacy efforts by relentlessly calling and writing to legislators and new publications.

Hyatt has many years of experience as a columnist, consultant, social worker and university professor. She has been named as AARP’s policy consultant on Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) in California and also writes for the NASW California News and the “CCRC Corner” column for the CANHR Advocate.

This past year, Hyatt championed AB 2171 (Wieckowski), which created a statutory, comprehensive bill of rights for all residents of RCFEs.  She is blind and disabled and did all her work from her apartment at the CCRC where she lives. Hyatt spoke with staff at the  Governor’s office and called every committee member to put the pressure on legislators when the bill was stuck in suspension.

AB 2171 was signed into law and will be effective January 1, 2015. Lillian has been an invaluable advocate for many years and even more so during this past year’s legislative campaign.