SENATE DOCKET, NO. 465        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1147

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jennifer L. Flanagan

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a commission on malnutrition prevention.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 465        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1147

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act establishing a commission on malnutrition prevention.

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

Chapter 111 is hereby amended by adding the following new section.

Section XXX. There shall be a commission on malnutrition prevention within the department. The commission shall consist of the commissioner of public health or the commissioner’s designee, who shall chair the commission; the secretary of elder affairs or the secretary’s designee; the commissioner of the department of transitional assistance or the commissioner’s designee; the commissioner of the department of agricultural resources or his designee; the co-chairs of the joint committee on elder affairs of the or their designees; and nine members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a physician, 1 of whom shall be a university researcher, 1 of whom shall be a community-based registered dietitian nutritionist working with older Americans act funded programs, 1 of whom shall be a representative of hospitals or integrated health systems, 2 of whom shall be  nurses working in home care, 1 of whom shall be a registered dietitian nutritionist working with a long-term care or assisted living facility, 1 of whom shall be a registered dietitian nutritionist representing the Massachusetts Dietetic Association, and 1 of whom shall be a representative from the Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging, Inc.

The commission on malnutrition prevention shall make an investigation and comprehensive study of the effects of malnutrition on older adults in the commonwealth and of the most effective strategies for reducing it.  The commission shall also monitor the effects of malnutrition among older adults on health care costs and outcomes, quality indicators, and quality of life measures.  In addition, the commission shall: (1) Consider strategies to improve data collection and analysis to identify malnutrition risk, health care cost data and protective factors for older adults; (2) Assess the risk and measure the incidence of malnutrition occurring in various settings across the continuum of care and the impact of care transitions; (3) Identify evidence-based strategies that raise public awareness of older adult malnutrition such as through educational materials, social marketing, state-wide campaigns, and public health events; (4) Identify evidence-based strategies, including community nutrition programs, used to reduce the rate of malnutrition among older adults and reduce the rate of re-hospitalizations and healthcare acquired infections related to malnutrition; (5) Consider strategies to maximize the dissemination of proven, effective malnutrition prevention interventions including community nutrition programs, medical nutrition therapy, and oral nutrition supplements and identify barriers to those interventions; (6) Examine the components and key elements of the above malnutrition prevention initiatives, consider their applicability in the Commonwealth and develop strategies for pilot-testing, implementation and evaluation.