MA S473

Establishes a permanent commission on older LGBTQ adults and their caregivers, co-chaired by the House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs

Commission membership includes state officials (Secretary of Elder Affairs, Commissioner of Public Health, Director of Housing and Community Development) plus representatives from LGBTQ advocacy organizations, elder care associations, and healthcare providers

Governor appoints 5 members: an elder law attorney, an LGBTQ public policy expert, and 3 LGBTQ older adults (at least 1 transgender), with geographic representation required from Cape Cod, western Massachusetts, and central Massachusetts

Commission duties include studying health, housing, financial, psychosocial, and long-term care needs of older LGBTQ adults and recommending improvements to access, treatment, and services

Specific focus areas include examining policies affecting premature institutionalization, developing provider training curricula, assessing funding needs, and creating outreach protocols to reduce apprehension about using mainstream providers