SENATE DOCKET, NO. 891        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 325

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to create a statewide assisted living facility master plan.

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

SECTION 1. The Secretary of Elder Affairs and the Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development are hereby authorized and directed, in conjunction with other agencies of the Commonwealth as necessary, to develop a state-wide plan for the development and maintenance of assisted living facilities, so-called.  Said plan shall include and assessment of existing and projected need for such facilities across all income levels, available capacity of existing facilities for tenants at all income levels, and projected development of additional capacity in the next twenty-five years.  Said plan shall also assess any and all means being utilized for payment by individuals for residence in assisted living facilities and the projected availability of such means in the future for individuals at all income levels from public and private sources, including but not limited to, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers.

Said plan, based on said assessments, shall included strategies to meet the needs identified in such assessments and to facilitate the availability of assisted living facilities for individuals of all income levels throughout the Commonwealth, including the development and maintenance of capital infrastructure, program services, and public and private sources of financing assisted living residence for the citizens of the Commonwealth.

SECTION 2.   Subject to appropriation, not less than two hundred thousand dollars shall be expended for the purposes of this Act.  Said plan prescribed herein, together with any recommendations for legislation necessary to the plan, shall be filed with the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives not later than two years following the passage of this Act.