State legislators are taking action after a group of Western Massachusetts nursing homes announced they were closing.
Northeast Health Group plans to shut down the Chapin Center in Springfield, Willimansett Centers West and East in Chicopee, and the Governor's Center in Westfield in June. Meantime,
Mayor Dom Sarno is slated to meet with Northeast Health officials and lawmakers to see if there is something that can be done to help the situation.
Mayor Sarno stated, “The number one goal for all of us involved in this meeting is to work towards a plausible solution to protect those residents and their families potentially affected by these changes and to save jobs. Though these changes were meant in a good way, they have brought unintended consequences. We all pledged to work together to take our message that other safe public health options/measures can and should be explored to keep all these four facilities open. This is the only way that they can all survive and keep giving those residents and their families a peace of mind.”
State Representative Bud Williams has asked Governor Maura Healey to suspend a COVID-era mandate which limits the number of nursing home patients in beds to two per room.
The Governor has not responded yet to the Williams request.