Resolve, To Support and Encourage the Development of an Adult Family Care Demonstration Project in Washington County

Preamble. Whereas,  rural and coastal areas of Maine have experienced closures of nursing facilities, reducing the number of long-term care options and causing family stress; and

Whereas,  Maine has an aging population and the State must develop strategies to allow the population to age in place; and

Whereas,  residents of long-term care and residential care facilities want to age in place, remaining close to their families; and

Whereas,  couples with different acuity levels want to continue living together despite having different requirements for support; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Department of Health and Human Services to review reimbursement levels at residential care facilities. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall review the reimbursement levels at residential care facilities and create a new level of reimbursement that takes into account the greater levels of care required by residents in those facilities who choose to age in place. The review must take into account the financial position of facilities in those areas of the State that have recently lost a significant number of nursing facility beds. The review may include other reviews that the department is currently undertaking with respect to the continuum of care, including, but not limited to, home-based and community-based services and residential care and future projections of need for nursing facility beds; and be it further

Sec. 2. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a demonstration project. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall develop a plan for a demonstration project in Washington County to establish facilities with suite-type settings. The demonstration project must take into account the needs of couples in which one or both spouses have a diagnosis of dementia; and be it further

Sec. 3. Report. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit a report regarding its findings, pursuant to this resolve, to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services no later than January 15, 2016. The Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services may report out legislation related to the report to the Second Regular Session of the 127th Legislature.