Bill > S376

This bill proposes several key provisions to support the Nursing Home Quality Jobs Initiative: 1. It requires MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program, to provide at least $90 million annually to fund a rate add-on for wages, benefits, and related costs of direct care staff at licensed nursing homes, including certified nurse aides, housekeepers, laundry, and dietary staff. This funding will be adjusted annually for inflation to support increased wages for these essential workers. 2. It establishes a scholarship program within the Department of Public Health to cover the full cost of tuition for certified nurse aide and long-term care direct worker training programs, including programs that provide adult basic education and English as a second language support. The department will also develop new training requirements and standards to improve the quality of the direct care workforce. 3. It directs the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, through the Commonwealth Corporation, to establish a $2.5 million annual grant program to provide evidence-based supervisory training for nursing facility workers, with the goal of retaining staff and reducing turnover. Overall, this bill aims to strengthen the nursing home workforce by increasing funding for direct care staff wages, providing educational and training opportunities, and supporting supervisory and leadership development.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S376