Amendment #1 to H4178

Certified Nursing Assistant Pilot Program

Ms. Nguyen of Andover moves to amend the amendment by adding at the end thereof the following new section:-

SECTION XX. Said Chapter 111 is further amended by inserting after section 2J the following section:-

Section 2K. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pilot program

(a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of health and human services, in conjunction with the executive office of labor and workforce development, shall establish and implement a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pilot program. The executive office of health and human services shall establish partnerships with employers who are seeking individuals with CNA certification. The pilot program shall offer free CNA training and testing to up to 1000 individuals in at least three geographically diverse areas of the state experiencing high levels of direct care workforce shortages. Upon pilot participants’ completion of training and testing, the executive office of health and human services shall connect pilot participants with partner employers.

(b) The executive office of health and human services shall coordinate a public awareness campaign that encourages enrollment in the pilot program and a career in the direct care workforce.

(c) If a graduate of the pilot program is employed by a long term care facility for at least 12 months, as certified by the employer, the executive office of health and human services shall pay the graduate an additional $1000.00.

(d) The pilot program shall begin within one year of passage of this act.

(e)  No later than 2 years after implementation of the pilot program, the executive office of health and human services shall report on the results of the pilot program and offer findings and recommendations for subsequent state action related to the pilot program to the Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senate President, house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on labor and workforce development, the joint committee on elder affairs, the joint committee on health care financing and the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All Other Dementias.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #1 to H4178

Certified Nursing Assistant Pilot Program