SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1350        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 841

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relating to training for certified nurses' aides and direct care workers.

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.   Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2002 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 4L the following new section:-

4M. The Department shall, subject to appropriation, establish a scholarship program for certified nurses’ aide and direct care worker training.  The department shall establish appropriate guidelines and application criteria for the administration of the program.  The scholarships shall cover the full cost of tuition to an approved certified nurses’ aide or long-term care direct worker training program, including approved programs providing for cross-training.  Funds may also be available to provide adult basic education and English as a second language training for applicants otherwise meeting criteria for the scholarships, as well as pilot training programs using enhanced curricula designed to support increased retention.  The department shall, in consultation with the nursing home industry, consumer groups, the department of labor and workforce development, the Commonwealth Corporation, training providers and other appropriate state and local agencies, conduct outreach regarding the availability of such scholarships.  The department shall consult with the scholarship program advisory council to review and recommend new training requirements for certified nurses’ aides, home health aides and home care workers to improve the quality of the direct care workforce and the quality of care provided in all long-term care settings by developing skill standards, supporting the transition from training to work, improving retention, promoting portability, recognizing career advancement curricula and addressing language and education barriers.  The costs for outreach activities shall not exceed 3 per cent of the amount of the program and administrative costs of the program shall not exceed 3 per cent of the amount of the program.