By: State Rep. Ryan Hamilton ~ 12-23
First, I’d like to wish a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate. Let us all enjoy a time to get together and enjoy quality time with family and friends. I look forward to 2024 and building on all that was accomplished in 2023!
In November, the Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation that takes a comprehensive approach towards reforming the long-term care industry by supporting and expanding the workforce, enhancing oversight of facilities, and ensuring greater access, all while prioritizing quality of care. This legislation took in mind several recommendations from the Nursing facility task force.
● Providing the Department of Public Health (DPH) with additional tools to monitor and take punitive action against facilities, including new abilities to limit, restrict, suspend, or revoke a license for cause and appoint temporary managers;
● Strengthening DPH’s licensure suitability standards to include a more comprehensive review of the background and legal record of applicants and expanding the scope of review to include any entity with at least 5 percent ownership interest in a nursing facility; and
● Creating new initiatives to support and grow the workforce, such as workforce training grants to develop new Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), career ladder program grants, and leadership and supervisory training.
This piece of legislation goes a long way and holding facilities accountable also gives them the tools they need to keep our loved ones in long-term care facilities safe.
This past week, I joined Congresswomen Lori Trahan, the Haverhill State delegation, and local dignitaries to present a 4.1 million grant to the Haverhill Fire Department. This grant that the Haverhill Fire Department applied for, and Congresswomen Trahan secured, will provide the City of Haverhill with 16 new firefighters over the next three years.
This will allow the fire department to staff another ladder truck. This truck will be located at the Bradford fire station. This will severely reduce response times to the Bradford and Ward Hill sections of Haverhill.
Due to the work of Congresswomen Lori Trahan and the Haverhill Fire Department, there is no doubt in my mind that the residents of Haverhill are safer now than they were before.
I look forward to continuing to work with the Haverhill Legislative Delegation and the Haverhill Fire Department to enhance the city’s fire services further and ensure our firefighters are given the equipment to keep themselves and our community safe.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact my office with any ideas, concerns, or questions at ryan.hamilton@mahouse.gov or 617-722-2090. ◊