HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 94461        FILED ON: 1/29/2010

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4461

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Ten

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An Act addressing LGBT elder inclusion..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 19A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 official edition, is hereby amended by adding the following new section: 

Section 6A: The department shall focus on the prevention and elimination of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, as well as on improving access to services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elders and caregivers. To that end, the department shall work to ensure that a curriculum is developed that will support the training for the delivery of services. The department shall require that over a period of time such training be completed by all providers of services who contract with or receive funding from the department, from Aging Service Access Points and/or from the MassHealth Office of Long Term Care, or whose services are certified by the department. 

The department shall develop a process and timeframe for completing such trainings by those who deliver services.