Amendment ID: S2856-134

Amendment 134

Nursing Facilities Capital Grants

Mr. Cyr, Ms. Miranda and Messrs. Collins, Brady, Moore, Keenan, Velis, Tarr and O'Connor move that the proposed new text be amended in section 2C, by inserting after item 7002-8078 the following item:-

“4000-8079 For a program to address the capital needs of nursing facilities throughout the commonwealth; provided, that the executive office of health and human services shall provide, in consultation with the Massachusetts Senior Care Association, Inc., forgivable, low- or no- interest loans to nursing facilities contracted as MassHealth providers to support capital improvements that shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (i) developing nursing facility specialized care units including: (a) infectious disease isolation units; (b) dementia special care units; (c) degenerative neurological units; (d) geriatric psychiatry units; (e) traumatic brain injury units; (f) bariatric units; and (g) behavioral health and substance use disorder units; (ii) addressing urgently needed capital improvements including, but not limited to, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, air filtration system upgrades to help prevent the spread of airborne illnesses, roofing or other infrastructure replacement and repair projects, alternative energy conversion projects and elevator renovations to comply with new state and federal requirements; and (iii) funding innovative projects including, but not limited to, conversion of sections within nursing facilities into affordable housing, veterans housing or assisted living units to better accommodate the individual needs of residents, and conversion of multi-bed rooms to single occupancy to enhance privacy; provided further, that loans shall be available to non-profit entities to facilitate the acquisition of nursing facilities incorporated as for-profit entities; provided further, that the executive office, in consultation with the Massachusetts Senior Care Association, Inc., shall establish a methodology for the distribution of funds; and provided further, that not later than March 1, 2025, the executive office shall submit methodology criteria to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on elder affairs ……………………….   $50,000,000”.