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DHHS to schedule hearing on closure of Atlantic Rehab

The residents of Calais and the greater Washington County area will be able to voice their concerns over the possible closure of Atlantic Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Calais.

The residents of Calais and the greater Washington County area will be able to voice their concerns over the possible closure of Atlantic Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Calais. According to Senate President Kevin Raye of Perry, Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Commissioner Mary Mayhew has "indicated that she has revisited the situation and determined there should be a reconsideration of the certificate of need" that the nursing home's parent company, First Atlantic Healthcare of Portland, received for a new healthcare facility in Ellsworth that was predicated on removing the Atlantic Rehab beds from Washington County. "It's very good news," says Raye. "It means that the certificate of need bed removal from Washington County is no longer a done deal."
John Martins, DHHS director of public and employee communications, confirms that a reconsideration hearing has been granted. "The Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services and the Attorney General's Office are working to establish a date and time for a hearing in Calais." He adds that the details have not been established but may be available by the week of March 12. "The commissioner has 60 days to render a decision," he notes.
City Manager Diane Barnes says of the commissioner's decision, "It's good news. Residents of Calais and Washington County will be able to comment on the possible closure of Atlantic Rehab. We're going to have our chance."
The certificate of need (CON) process requires that a public hearing be held in the area where the project's expenditure is located, but not necessarily where the project's impact might be located. The original CON filed by Atlantic Healthcare followed the rules and had notices published in the required newspapers, the Kennebec Journal and the Bangor Daily News, and held a public hearing in Ellsworth. There was no requirement to publish a notice in a Washington County newspaper or to hold a public hearing in Calais because the county and the city do not fall into the expenditure location.
"The nursing home is important to us," says Barnes, "and to the people in the county. We're anxiously awaiting the hearing date. We'll be there."

New facility options explored
While Commissioner Mayhew was deliberating about the hearing, Senator Raye and Barnes were working behind the scenes to explore options in case the hearing should be held and result in a favorable outcome for retaining the beds in Washington County. "There are a lot of moving parts and a lot to explore," says Raye. He talked with the Calais city manager as well as others, including Calais Regional Hospital CEO Michael Lally, about the nursing home's impact on the region's healthcare network.
Barnes says that the City of Calais is "exploring all options for First Atlantic Healthcare, including a loan through the USDA Rural Development Business and Guarantee Loan Program. Grant/loan funds may also be available through CDBG to assist First Atlantic Healthcare if they opt to construct a new facility." Raye notes that Washington Place, an assisted living facility adjacent to Atlantic Rehab, is owned by First Atlantic and might present some possibilities.
"The bottom line is, while I have no objection to what First Atlantic is proposing to build in Ellsworth, I object strongly to the impact that it would have in Washington County. I'm very encouraged that there is now the opportunity to allow us to preserve these beds," says Raye.

Downsizing takes place
On February 27, Atlantic Rehab announced that it is downsizing its staff by 16 employees, citing the recent decline in the number of its residents, now at about 30, and MaineCare underfunding. According to Administrator John Wood, of those staff remaining about 35% are full-time and the rest are part-time.
Wood notes that the Rapid Response Program of the Maine Department of Labor has been notified and asked to provide assistance to those losing their jobs. The goal of the program is to safeguard the economic stability of workers and the surrounding communities.