As part of our work to restructure Maine’s system of care for older Mainers and Maine people living with disabilities, the DHHS Office of Aging and Disability Services is convening stakeholders from across Maine’s long-term care support and services (LTSS) sector to explore ways to improve nursing facility and residential care systems to focus on quality, innovation, and accountability in order to better serve and meet the needs of Maine people.
The COVID-19 public health emergency highlighted many long-standing issues and barriers in Maine’s long-term care system. In response, the National Academies of Science, Engineering & Medicine conducted a comprehensive review of how long-term care in the US is delivered, financed, regulated, and assessed and published a report, The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Honoring Our Commitment to Residents, Families, and Staff.
This report outlines seven high-level goals to improve the delivery of quality care across the LTSS system of care, which OADS is using to guide the LTSS reform process in Maine:
- Goal 1: Deliver comprehensive, person-centered, equitable care that ensures residents’ health, quality of life, and safety; promotes autonomy; and manages risks
- Goal 2: Ensure a well-prepared, empowered, and appropriately compensated workforce
- Goal 3: Increase transparency and accountability of finances, operations, and ownership
- Goal 4: Create a more rational and robust financing system
- Goal 5: Design a more effective and responsive system of quality assurance
- Goal 6: Expand and enhance quality measurement and continuous quality improvement
- Goal 7: Adopt health information technology in all nursing homes
Nursing Facility & Residential Care Innovation & Quality Advisory Council
In April of 2023 DHHS created the Innovation and Quality Advisory Council (the Council) to advise DHHS on strategies to promote innovation and quality in Maine’s nursing facilities and residential care settings for older adults.
The Nursing Home and Residential Care Facility Innovation and Quality Advisory Council recently completed discussions and presentations on the quality of care of care in Maine’s facilities. This stakeholder group, comprised of advocates, medical providers, experts and academics in the care of older adults, met eight times in 2023. The completed and final report describes themes of quality in nursing homes that emerged from these discussions.
- Relevant Legislation
- Work Group Members
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- Jake Anderson, Administrator, Maine Veterans’ Homes
- Laurie Belden, Executive Director, Home Care and Hospice Alliance of Maine
- Ari Berman, MD, Medical Director of Seal Rock, Gorham House & Pinnacle of Sanford, Northern Light Geriatrics
- Barbara Bowers RN, Ph.D. Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Nursing
- Maureen Carland MA, RN-BSN, LNHA Director of Quality and Regulatory Affairs, Maine Health Care Association
- Mary Lou Ciolfi, Senior Program Manager, The University of Maine Center on Aging
- Brenda Gallant, Executive Director, Maine LTC Ombudsman Program
- Leo J. Delicata, Attorney, Legal Services for the Elderly
- Betsy Grass, RN, Director of Programs & Services, Alpha One Service Coordination Agency
- Karynlee Harrington, Executive Director, Maine Health Data Organization/Maine Quality Forum
- Deirdre Heersink DO, CMD, Medical Director, MaineGeneral Rehabilitation and LTC Maine Veterans Home Augusta
- LeighAnn Howard RN, DNP, CHFN, VP of Clinical Excellence and Community Partnerships, Northern Light Home Care & Hospice
- Angie Hunt, Chief Innovations Officer, The Cedars
- Jena Jones, Policy & Advocacy Manager, Maine Council on Aging
- Ruta Kadonoff, Vice President for Programs, Maine Health Access Foundation
- Richard T. Marino, Jr, MD, Nursing Home Division Director Key Clinical Faculty Clinical Assistant Professor Maine Medical Partners Geriatrics Maine Medical Center Geriatric Fellowship Tufts University School of Medicine
- Rita Owsiak, HAI Coordinator, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Gail Patry RN, Senior Vice President of Quality Programming, Healthcentric Advisors
- Tarsha Rodrigue, RN BSN MHA, Administrative Director, Skilled and Long-Term Care, MaineGeneral Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care
- Laura Tremblay, CAN, Augusta Rehab (Direct Care and Support Professional Advisory Council)
- Janelle Tompkins, MaineGeneral Long Term Care Director and Administrator at the Inn at City Hall, MaineGeneral Rehabilitation & Long-Term Care
- Judy Tupper, DHEd, Director, Population Health Cutler Institute Practice Facility, Graduate Program Public Health, Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine
- Megan Walton, Chief Executive Officer, Southern Maine Area Agency on Aging
- Heidi Wierman, MD, FACP, Division Director Geriatrics & Medical Director Health Aging Associate Professor, MaineHealth Geriatrics Tufts University School of Medicine
- Wanda Wilcox, Executive Director, Chase Point Assisted Living
- Drew Wyman, Executive Director, The Alzheimer's Association, Maine Chapter
- Schedule of Meetings & Documents
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Kick Off Meeting – April 26, 2023
Quality Metrics Meeting – June 6, 2023
Resident Reported Outcomes Meeting – July 19, 2023
Oversight Structures Meeting – August 23, 2023
Person Centered Care Meeting – September 20, 2023
Small House Models Meeting – October 18, 2023
Direct Care Staff Meeting – November 16, 2023
Emerging Themes Meeting – December 20, 2023
Needs Assessment Work Group
The purpose of this workgroup is to advise DHHS on how best to identify LTSS services and gaps by county. DHHS also seeks input on methods for modeling future needs informed by demographic trends. This work will serve as a guide as DHHS explores ways to continue to invest in sustainable living for older adults throughout the state.
- Work Group Members
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- Joy Barresi Saucier, Executive Director, Aroostook Area Agencies on Aging
- Chris Beaulieu, Home Care & Nutrition Services Director, Aroostook Agency on Aging
- Laurie Bourgoin, Chief Nursing Officer, Home Hope, and Healing (and Secretary, Home Care and Hospice Alliance of Maine)
- Jill Carney, Director of Public Policy, The Alzheimer’s Association
- Sharon Fusco, CEO of Maine Veterans’ Homes
- Lisa Henderson, Executive Director, LeadingAge ME & NH
- Nem Knight, Program Coordinator, Equality Maine-Network for Older Adults
- Jaye Martin, Executive Director, Legal Services for the Elderly
- Jess Maurer, Executive Director, Maine Council on Aging
- Tracy Smith, LTSS Director, Service Coordination Agency
- Christina Taylor, LTSS Manager, Alpha One
- Angela Westhoff, President/ CEO, Maine Health Care Association
- Gretchen Zeh Higgins, Associate Director, Maine LTC Ombudsman Program
- Schedule of Meetings & Documents
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April 5, 2023
May 3, 2023
May 24, 2023
July 28, 2024
Rate Setting Work Group
The rate study will explore rates for Nursing Facilities and Private Non-Medical Institutions (PNMI) and include a cost study and design of a new rate structure.
For information about the rate system reform process, see the Office of MaineCare Services MaineCare Rate System Reform page. Information about Nursing Facilities and PNMI rate setting is included under “Current (Rate Determinations in Progress)”.
For More Information
For more information about Long Term Support & Services Reform, please email LTSSReform.DHHS@maine.gov