HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2356        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2071

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Denise C. Garlick

_________________

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 relative to promoting the betterment of resident’s health and safety in skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Denise C. Garlick

13th Norfolk

1/19/2017

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Michael F. Rush

Norfolk and Suffolk

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2356        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2071

By Ms. Garlick of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2071) of Denise C. Garlick and others relative to promoting the betterment of resident’s health and safety in skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities.  Elder Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to promoting the betterment of resident’s health and safety in skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities.

 

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 Massachusetts General Laws as appearing in the 2014 edition is hereby amended by inserting the following new sections after Section 72BB:

“The Department through its division of health care facility licensure and certification shall provide annual training for long term care facilities on the licensure and certification process. This training shall include, but not be limited to, the department’s interpretation of the general laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and policies concerning the licensure and certification process for such long term care facilities. The training shall be interactive, with the sharing of information and recommendations between long term care facilities and the department on most frequently cited deficiencies, both state and federal, and best practices to ensure resident quality care. 

The department shall notify long term care facilities of proposed policy changes and seek comment from long term care facilities before instituting a policy change concerning the licensure and certification process.  

The Department in conjunction with long term care facilities shall establish clear and consistent protocols for collecting and gathering information in order to better evaluate trends in long term care facility operations. The Department shall exchange this information with long term care providers on a biannual basis.

For the purpose of this section, the term “long term care facilities” shall mean nursing homes, rest homes or other long-term care facilities.”