SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1616        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John C. Velis

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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 to codify the Hospital to Home Partnership Program.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1616        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act to codify the Hospital to Home Partnership Program.

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

Chapter 19A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4 the following section:-

Section 4 ½. (a) There is hereby established within the executive office of health and human services a Hospital to Home Partnership Program, with the mission to promote partnerships between Acute Care Hospitals, as defined by section 25B of chapter 111 and Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs), as defined by section 4B of chapter 19A and to strengthen communication and coordination with community providers to promote institutional diversion and increase discharge rates from hospitals to home and community-based settings.

(b) There will be within each participating Acute Care Hospital no less than 1 ASAP staff serving as Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Hospital Liaisons, with the designated role to support the Hospital’s efforts to connect individuals to HCBS programs and community services to enable a community discharge instead of a skilled nursing facility or other institutional placement