[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 17, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E865-E866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING CAREER OF CAROL KIENTZ

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 17, 2006

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career of Carol 
Kientz for over 40 years of dedicated service to the field of nursing.
  Since receiving her B.S. in nursing from Cornell University in 1965 
and her M.S. in nursing from the University of California, San 
Francisco in 1968, Ms. Kientz has been an active member of the 
healthcare community; serving in a variety of professional and 
community volunteer positions. She has served as a community health 
nurse for the New York City Health Department, a nurse educator in New 
York and New Jersey, supervisor for the Visiting Nurse Association, 
director of health services at Christ Home Hospital in Jersey City and 
for the past 16 years, as the Executive Director of the Home Care 
Association of New Jersey.
  Outside of her professional responsibilities, Ms. Kientz has also 
participated in many healthcare organizations and activities including 
serving as a founding board member of the New Jersey Commission on 
Accreditation for Home Care, participating on numerous committees 
within the National Association for Home Care, and serving on the 
editorial review board for New Jersey Medicine and the Home Health Care 
Management and Practice.
  Throughout her professional career in nursing, Ms. Kientz has 
received numerous recognitions and has had the distinct honor of 
receiving a number of public appointments. Most notably, she was named 
Home Health Assembly Member of the Year in 1989 and received the Home 
Health Assembly Martha Esposito Award in 1997. For her commitment to 
improving public health, Ms. Kientz was appointed and has served on the 
New Jersey Governor's AIDS Council from 1994 to 2002 and presently, 
serves on the Medical Assistance Advisory Council for the New Jersey 
Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services since 1995, Governor 
Corzine's New Jersey Healthcare Advisory Committee since 2002, and the 
Bioterrorism Advisory Committee for the Department of Health and Human 
Services since 2002.
  In her most recent position, as executive director of the Home Care 
Association of New Jersey, Ms. Kientz has displayed great character and 
commitment towards achieving her

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goal of ensuring that all patients receive the highest quality of care. 
She has been instrumental in developing and facilitating committees 
within the organization responsible for addressing industry issues as 
well as advocating on a variety of healthcare policy issues. Her 
efforts have included establishing the Real Coalition, which allowed 
the home care industry to formulate a collective and unified voice, 
participating in the development of the Assisted Living Regulations for 
the State of New Jersey, improving the process for home health aide 
competency testing, strengthening relationships with State agencies, 
advocating for government initiatives to address the nursing and 
workforce shortage issues affecting the home care industry, 
establishing the home health aide scholarship process, and establishing 
the Home Care Foundation of New Jersey to explore Grant opportunities 
to benefit the greater home care industry.
  Throughout her career, Ms. Kientz has genuinely demonstrated a strong 
commitment towards improving home healthcare. It is the enthusiasm and 
dedication of people like Ms. Kientz that have raised the bar of 
excellence in patient care. Please join me in recognizing her many 
accomplishments.




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