Section 1.  For the purposes of this act, “small house nursing home” means a nursing home licensed under Section 72 of Chapter 111 of the General Laws, that 1) consists of one or more units designed and modeled as a private home including residential kitchen and living areas which house no more than fourteen individuals in each unit, 2) includes only private rooms and bathrooms, 3) establishes a self-directed model of care for residents that incorporates collaborative decision making by residents and staff, 4) provide for a universal worker approach to resident care that is organized to support and empower all staff to respond to the needs and desires of residents; and 6) provides for consistent staff assignments.  

Section 2. There is hereby established a task force on the Development of Small House Nursing Homes.  The purpose of the task force is to evaluate the prospects for and steps needed, either administratively or through legislation, to support the development of Small House Nursing Homes in the Commonwealth.  The task force is charged with studying and recommending strategies to promote the development of small house nursing homes in Massachusetts which include but shall not be limited to:

the establishment of  an add-on to rates of  reimbursement for nursing facilities by the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy that develop and operate small house nursing homes to reflect the additional capital costs required in the construction of a small house nursing home.

The establishment of no or low-cost loans to develop small house nursing homes

Identification of other regulatory barriers that impede the ability to develop and operate small house nursing homes

The task force shall be chaired by the Director of the Division of Health Care Safety and Quality at the Department of Public Health, and shall include the commissioner of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy or a designee, the Director of MassHealth or a designee, the Secretary of Elder Affairs, or a designee, the House and Senate chairs of the Committee on Elder Affairs, at least one architect that has been involved with the development of a small house nursing home, at least two providers that have developed or in the process of developing/operating small house nursing homes, the president of MassAging or a designee, and two residents of the Commonwealth to represent consumers appointed by the Secretary of Elder Affairs. 

The Task Force shall make a report with its recommendations to the Chairs of Ways and Means and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services by March 30,2011.