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Advocacy Healthcare Home and Community Based Housing Long Term Services and Support News Spotlight state legislation

2025-08-26 Spotlight: A Commonwealth for All Ages: A Call to the Massachusetts Democratic Party

Editor’s note: This statement is the personal expression of the author. It does not necessarily reflect the position of Dignity Alliance Massachusetts or any other DignityMA participant. DignityMA is a non-partisan organization and welcomes statements from all parties who support older adults, people with disabilities and  caregivers. About the Author: Richard T. Moore of Uxbridge […]

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Facilities Home and Community Based News Policy

Dignity Alliance Wants to be Cool!

Media Release Calls for Executive Action and Legislation to promote cooling for older adults and people with disabilities As another heat wave with temperatures in the nineties begins this week, Dignity Alliance Massachusetts is calling on state government to protect older adults and people with disabilities from the dangers of extreme heat. In a letter […]

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Home and Community Based News Spotlight

2025-05-02 Spotlight: Trump Cuts Threaten Agency Running Meals on Wheels

Trump Cuts Threaten Agency Running Meals on Wheels New York Times (free access), April 24, 2025By Reed Abelson A tiny division responsible for overseeing services for people with disabilities and older Americans is being dismantled as part of an overhaul by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary. Every Monday, Maurine Gentis, a retired teacher, […]

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Aging Behavioral Health Facilities Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Spotlight

2025-04-01 Spotlight: HHS’s Transformation to Make America Healthy Again

HHS’s Transformation to Make America Healthy Again U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 27, 2025 The restructuring of HHS is proceeding in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.” Over the past four years, during the Biden administration, HHS’s budget increased by 38% […]

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Facilities Federal Legislation Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Spotlight Worker Support

2024-02-28 Spotlight: What Lies Ahead For Medicaid In Budget Reconciliation?

What Lies Ahead For Medicaid In Budget Reconciliation?Health AffairsBy Sara Rosenbaum and Alison BarkoffFebruary 11, 2025 President Trump recently stated, “We will love and cherish” Medicaid, promising that budget cutting would be limited to finding waste and abuse. But that sentiment is not likely to prevail as Congress moves forward with massive budget cutting efforts, […]

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Advocacy Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Overview

Older Adults May Be Denied Access to State Home Care

April 16, 2025 : Boston Globe Update ‘I am trying my hardest to stay out of a nursing home.’ Mass. curtails lifeline helping elders remain independent. (pdf) by Kay Lazar. Cases of frail older adults in dire situations are mounting, advocates say. “Bockser is among a growing list of frail older adults in Massachusetts who […]

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Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Study Session

All about Adult Family Care

Thursday, October 24, 2024 Presenters: Adult family care  is a program that provides in-home support for individuals who need assistance with daily living activities. It offers a home-like setting, often within a family’s home, rather than a traditional institutional setting like a nursing home. Key features of adult family care: Individuals who may benefit from […]

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Advocacy Facilities Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Spotlight state legislation Worker Support

09-03-2024 Spotlight: Senator Patricia Jehlen on H5033, the long-term care reform bill

Statement of Senator Patricia Jehlen, Co-Chair, Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, regarding the passage of H 5033, the long-term care reform bill. This statement was made during the Senate session held on August 29, 2024. Sen. Jehlen of Somerville was recognized to speak remotely. Around a minute of silence passed before her voice came over […]

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Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Spotlight

08-27-2024 Spotlight: MassHealth Drops Bid To Consolidate Assessments

*State House NewsBy Sam Drysdale, August 26, 2024 Following a groundswell of advocacy from people with disabilities and local service agencies, MassHealth officials are switching gears on a wide-ranging change they had planned to make to the state’s care delivery system — though the agency is still pursuing some reform. MassHealth issued a procurement for […]

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Advocacy Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Study Session

Independent Assessment Entity (IAE) Community Listening Session August 21

DignityMA hosted a webinar (watch below) to present information in support of the request to MassHealth to put aside the Request for Response (RFR) and engage in meaningful exploration with stakeholders to improve current systems on August 21. (Read more about the IAE) Spoiler Alert: At about 1:04:40 in the video, Mike Levine, EOHHS Assistant […]

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