Gov. Dannel Malloy announced today that his administration is awarding $9 million in first-time funding to help Connecticut’s nursing homes diversify services and meet the changing needs of the elderly. The grants are part of the state’s strategic plan to re-balance long-term services and supports and give seniors a choice to live in a community-centered environment.
“Many people are looking for greater choice about where and how they receive care,” Malloy said in a written statement. “Our initiative promotes freedom of choice in the long-term care system by expanding the options available to our aging adults and other adults with disabilities.”
The strategy involves helping skilled nursing facilities adapt to the growing demand for community-based services and supports. In the first round of funding to help nursing homes diversify service delivery models, seven were chosen through a competitive process:
Ӣ Southington Care Center (Central Connecticut Senior Health Services) РMaximum award: $2,051,148. The proposal aims to increase the capacity to deliver and promote community services through a streamlined process, including a 24-hour hotline and a toolkit for community services; expand geriatric care management and create an education and engagement program; and raise awareness about long-term community services and supports.
Ӣ Mary Wade Home, Inc. (New Haven) РMaximum award: up to $2,001,730, (up to $200,000 in pre-development funds and $1 million in capital funds). The proposal establishes a home-maker companion agency to increase the supply of direct-care workers in New Haven, expand educational opportunities and help people connect to community supports.
Ӣ Litchfield Woods Healthcare Center (Torrington) РMaximum award: $2,269,103. The proposal aims to expand infrastructure to support hospice services in the northwest corner and to open a home-health agency satellite.
Ӣ Miller Memorial Community, Inc. (Meriden) РMaximum award: $1,338,110. The proposal aims to introduce a new service delivery model that will improve continuity of care, reduce length of stay in the nursing home and reduce hospitalizations post discharge.
Ӣ Hebrew Home and Hospital, Inc. (West Hartford) РMaximum award: $1,072,220. The proposal includes diversifying a wing of the nursing home to a transitional living wing, which provides additional services that transitions people back to the community.
”¢ Hughes Health and Rehabilitation, Inc. (West Hartford) – Maximum award: $197,420. The proposal includes funding for a community assessment to explore the need to establish adult family homes and a transitional living wing.
”¢ Jewish Home for the Elderly of Fairfield County, Inc. (Fairfield) – Maximum award: $81,260. The proposal calls for developing affordable, community-based living protocols in an adult family home so seniors can stay or return to the community from a nursing home.
The Department of Social Services and the Departments of Housing and Public Health made the first request for proposals. Funds of up to $25 million are available for the next request for proposals, which will be issued this summer. Of the $9 million, the state’s general funds will cover $7 million, which is 100 percent reimbursed by the federal government, and the remaining $2 million comes from state bond funds.
“With this funding, we are encouraging the industry to develop a continuum of services that will help Connecticut residents remain a part of the community whenever possible,” said Anne Foley, Office of Policy and Management undersecretary, in a written statement.
This grant allows the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support state nursing homes as the number of seniors continue to increase. This state and federal partnership is critical since HUD underwrites mortgages for 59 of nearly 230 nursing facilities in Connecticut, said Roderick L. Bremby, Department of Social Services commissioner, in a written statement.
