CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – All four nursing home facilities owned by Northeast Health Group have officially closed.
A spokesperson confirmed with 22News the final three facilities closed Thursday, about two months before their approved closure date of June 6th.
22News crews spotted people moving boxes out of Governor’s Center in Westfield and Chapin Center in Springfield on Friday. This comes roughly 60 days since Northeast Health Group announced the closure of all four facilities.
“We have heard that they told residents and staff that in fact the intended closure date was April 6th. We’ve been trying to sort of push back and say no, residents do need more time to figure out where they’re going to move to,” said Brianna Zimmerman, Systems Change Advocate from Stavros Center for Independent Living.
Stavros filed a complaint with the state’s Attorney General’s office against Northeast Health Group claiming residents were pressured to leave early.
In a hearing with the DPH in March, a representative for Northeast Health Group said they were closing because of a state requirement enacted last year. That put a limit on the number of people to two per room, causing them to lose $7 million in revenue.
22News spoke with Springfield Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris before the DPH confirmed the closure, “What we are concerned about is those residents who were housed at Chapin and to ensure that they have been transitioned to places that are caring for their needs.”
22News once again reached out to Northeast Health Group for comment but did not back. They have not responded to our requests for comment since February 7th.
