Page 4 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 18, 2022 Sen. Lewis joins colleagues to pass oversight reforms for veterans’ homes in wake of COVID-19 tragedy O n March 10, 2022, State Senator Jason Lewis joined his Senate colleagues to unanimously pass legislation to increase public oversight over the administration of state-operated veterans’ homes in Holyoke and Chelsea. To improve safety and transparency at the veterans’ homes, the bill mandates restructuring the chain of command to more closely match established administrative practices used in hospitals and other large organizations. This legislation follows continued scrutiny of administrative and other failures at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke that led to the tragic deaths of 77 veterans during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our veterans and their families have made many sacrifi ces to serve and protect our nation, and it is unconscionable that so many veterans lost their lives due to inadequate health and safety protocols at the Holyoke veterans’ home,” said Lewis. “I’m hopeful that this legislation will lead to the reforms and necessary oversight to ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again and that our veterans’ homes provide the highest quality care to their residents.” ANGELO’S FULL SERVICE Regular Unleaded $4.159 Mid Unleaded $4.369 Super $4.499 Diesel Fuel $4.979 "43 Years of Excellence!" 1978-2021 KERO $6.99 DEF $4.75 9 Diesel $4.559 9 HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) DEF Available by Pump! Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN AVE • SAUGUS • OPEN 7 DAYS Need a hall for your special event? The Schiavo Club, located at 71 Tileston Street, Everett is available for your Birthdays, Anniversaries, Sweet 16 parties and more? Call Paul at (617) 387-5457 for details. Everett Aluminum 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 Owned & operated by the Conti family since 1958 • 57 Years! family since 1958 • 64 “Same name, phone number & address for over half a century. We must be doing something right!” •Vinyl Siding •Free Estimates •Carpentry Work •Fully Licensed •Decks •Roof ng • Fully Insured • Replacement Windows www.everettaluminum.com Now’s the time to schedule those home improvement projects you’ve been dreaming about all winter! Jason Lewis State Senator This comprehensive reform bill is designed to increase the safety of residents of veterans’ homes in the Commonwealth. A new, full-time ombudsperson would receive, investigate and assist in resolving complaints related to the health, well-being and rights of veterans’ homes’ residents and staff . To eff ectively aid these eff orts, a public hotline would be created for residents and staff to direct concerns. The bill would also task the Department of Public Health (DPH) with regularly inspecting the homes; all inspection reports would be made publicly available, excluding identifying information of patients and staff . Veterans’ homes would be required to be licensed as longterm care facilities by DPH and adhere to the same standards and regulations. This bill would also: • Give the authority to appoint a superintendent for each of the veterans’ homes to the Executive Director of the Offi ce of Veterans’ Homes and Housing. • Create a statewide Massachusetts Veterans’ Homes Advisory Council – tasked with recommending policies to the Secretary of Veterans Services – as well as Regional Councils, which would be tasked with representing the interests of the local community, residents and family members at each veterans’ home. • Require each veterans’ home to have a full-time specialist in infection control and emergency preparedness and to adhere to medically sound guidelines for trauma-informed care, including best practices for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide prevention. • Remove existing procedural hurdles which make it harder to donate operating supplies, clothing, medical equipment, personal hygiene products and holiday gifts to veterans’ homes. • Require state-operated veterans’ homes to accept Medicare and Medicaid payments. • Provide mental health resources to employees of state-operated veterans’ homes who worked during the pandemic. • Create a commission to rename the Soldiers’ Homes in Chelsea and Holyoke after specifi c Massachusetts veterans. • Establish March 21 as Veterans’ Homes Remembrance Day, to honor the veterans who lost their lives due to the tragic COVID-19 outbreaks at veterans’ homes. Since a version of An Act relative to the governance, structure and care of veterans at the Commonwealth’s veterans’ homes was previously (February 10, 2022) passed (156-1) by the Massachusetts House of Representatives, a conference committee will be appointed to resolve diff erences between the Senate and House versions of the bill, and then the Legislature will send its fi nal bill to Governor Charlie Baker for his signature or other action(s). MassHealth expands long-term care coverage for immigrants A s of November 1, 2021, thousands of immigrants are now eligible for long-term care coverage under MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program. This new policy is an expansion of MassHealth Family Assistance to cover longterm services and supports for elderly and disabled immigrants. The new guidelines entitle qualifi ed immigrants to receive long-term care and supports in a skilled nursing facility or in the community, including limited access to home care and other programs covered by Standard MassHealth. This change will also ensure that MassHealth Family Assistance enrollees have access to the resources they need to transition from acute hospitals to other settings, including back to their own homes. Prior to this policy change, hundreds of immigrants remained longer than needed in Massachusetts hospitals because of immigration-related barriers to long-term care coverage. Please call Mystic Valley Elder Services at 781-324-7705 to learn more about this change and determine whether or not you or a loved one is eligible for enhanced supports through this coverage expansion. Spring is Here! Prices subject to change Ask about our Conditioner! FLEET
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