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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1616 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 495 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | John C. Velis |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act to codify the Hospital to Home Partnership Program. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John C. VelisHampden and HampshirePaul K. Frost7th Worcester1/29/2025Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin2/3/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/11/2025Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester2/11/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex2/26/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex2/26/2025Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/28/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1616 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 495 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Velis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 495) of John C. Velis, Paul K. Frost, |
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| 19 | 19 | | Susannah M. Whipps, Joanne M. Comerford and other members of the General Court for |
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| 20 | 20 | | legislation to codify the Hospital to Home Partnership Program. Elder Affairs. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act to codify the Hospital to Home Partnership Program. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 Chapter 19A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4 the |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2following section:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3 Section 4 ½. (a) There is hereby established within the executive office of health and |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4human services a Hospital to Home Partnership Program, with the mission to promote |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5partnerships between Acute Care Hospitals, as defined by section 25B of chapter 111 and Aging |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6Services Access Points (ASAPs), as defined by section 4B of chapter 19A and to strengthen |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7communication and coordination with community providers to promote institutional diversion |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8and increase discharge rates from hospitals to home and community-based settings. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9 (b) There will be within each participating Acute Care Hospital no less than 1 ASAP staff |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10serving as Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Hospital Liaisons, with the designated |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11role to support the Hospital’s efforts to connect individuals to HCBS programs and community 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12services to enable a community discharge instead of a skilled nursing facility or other |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13institutional placement |
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