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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 634 FILED ON: 1/14/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2245
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Tram T. Nguyen
_________________
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 strengthen the direct care and dementia workforce.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tram T. Nguyen18th Essex1/14/2023David M. Rogers24th Middlesex2/3/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/6/2023Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk2/9/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden2/9/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/9/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin2/10/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/10/2023Steven S. Howitt4th Bristol2/10/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/10/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex2/12/2023David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex2/13/2023William C. Galvin6th Norfolk2/13/2023Denise C. Garlick13th Norfolk2/15/2023James Arciero2nd Middlesex2/15/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester2/16/2023Margaret R. Scarsdale1st Middlesex2/17/2023John Barrett, III1st Berkshire2/17/2023 2 of 2
James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/17/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol2/20/2023Danillo A. Sena37th Middlesex2/21/2023Steven Ultrino33rd Middlesex2/21/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/22/2023Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/23/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/25/2023James J. O'Day14th Worcester2/28/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk3/1/2023Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable3/2/2023Michelle L. Ciccolo15th Middlesex3/2/2023Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex3/3/2023Jennifer Balinsky Armini8th Essex3/5/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex3/9/2023Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester3/13/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 634 FILED ON: 1/14/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2245
By Representative Nguyen of Andover, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2245) of
Tram T. Nguyen and others for legislation to strengthen the direct care and dementia workforce.
Public Health.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act to strengthen the direct care and dementia workforce.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended in
2Section 25N (a) (2) by inserting after the words “obstetrics/gynecology” in lines 7-8, the
3following words:-
4 “, geriatrics, geriatric psychiatry, neurology, neuropsychology”.
5 SECTION 2. Said Chapter 111 is further amended by inserting after section 2J the
6following two sections:-
7 Section 2K. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pilot program
8 (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of
9health and human services, in conjunction with the executive office of labor and workforce
10development, shall establish and implement a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pilot program.
11The executive office of health and human services shall establish partnerships with employers 2 of 3
12who are seeking individuals with CNA certification. The pilot program shall offer free CNA
13training and testing to up to 1000 individuals in at least three geographically diverse areas of the
14state experiencing high levels of direct care workforce shortages. Upon pilot participants’
15completion of training and testing, the executive office of health and human services shall
16connect pilot participants with partner employers.
17 (b) The executive office of health and human services shall coordinate a public awareness
18campaign that encourages enrollment in the pilot program and a career in the direct care
19workforce.
20 (c) If a graduate of the pilot program is employed by a long term care facility or with a
21home and community based services provider for at least 12 months, as certified by the
22employer, the executive office of health and human services shall pay the graduate an additional
23$1000.00.
24 (d) The pilot program shall begin within one year of passage of this act.
25 (e) No later than 2 years after implementation of the pilot program, the executive office
26of health and human services shall report on the results of the pilot program and offer findings
27and recommendations for subsequent state action related to the pilot program to the Governor,
28Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senate President, house and senate committees on
29ways and means, the joint committee on labor and workforce development, the joint committee
30on elder affairs, the joint committee on health care financing and the Massachusetts Advisory
31Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All Other Dementias.
32 Section 2L. Nursing Career Pathway 3 of 3
33 Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of health
34and human services, in conjunction with the executive office of labor and workforce
35development, shall establish and implement a home health aide to certified nursing assistant to
36licensed practical nurse (HHA-CNA-LPN) career pathway. The plan for the pathway programs
37must include programs in at least three geographically diverse areas of the state experiencing
38high levels of direct care workforce shortages for corresponding health professions and
39incorporate the participation of local MassHire Workforce Boards for implementation.
40 The HHA-CNA-LPN career pathway program shall begin within one year of passage of
41this act.
42 No later than 2 years after implementation of the career pathway program, the executive
43office of health and human services shall report on the results of the program and offer findings
44and recommendations for subsequent state action related to the career pathway program to the
45house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on labor and workforce
46development, the joint committee on elder affairs and the joint committee on health care
47financing.