The Legislature last night approved and sent to Governor Baker for his signature a supplemental budget bill for state fiscal year 2022, which includes an amendment filed by Senator Julian Cyr that would continue to authorize nursing school graduates and students in their final semester of nursing education to practice nursing in health care settings.

Mass Senior Care earlier this week testified to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on the FY2023 budget urging the Joint Committee to support and fund Massachusetts Senior Care Association’s FY2023 Vital Workforce Investment Proposal which proposes $238 million in funding. Take Action Now! Please ask your lawmakers to support vital workforce investments.

Mass Senior Care Association is pleased to host our first in-person Spring Conference & Trade Show in more than two years on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the DCU Center in Worcester. We hope you will join us for a dynamic and informative program as we spend the day learning how to banish burnout and bounce back, recommit to our mission-driven profession and strategize on how best to recruit and retain staff to the long term care sector. To ensure a spot at the Spring Conference, please register now.

The CDC updated its recommendations to allow certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received an initial booster dose at least 4 months ago to be eligible for another mRNA booster to increase their protection against severe disease from COVID-19, and starting April 1, 2022, all wheelchair van services currently covered by MassHealth as fee-for-service transportation will be provided through transportation brokers, MART and GATRA.

DPH released updated guidance on Long-Term Care Facility COVID-19 Personnel Vaccination Requirement and DPH has shared updated clinical guidance for COVID-19 therapeutics.

Mass Senior Care member, Salter Healthcare, recently graduated their second cohort of CNA students.

With the refresh of Care Compare at the end of April, Services CMS will update the individual quality measure (QM) thresholds that determine Five-Star Quality ratings.

Mass Senior Care and Zimmet Healthcare Services Group will host an in-person RAC-CT Certification Workshop on June 1, June 8 and June 15 from 8 am - 5 pm daily at Alliance Health at Marie Esther in Marlboro.