Health and Human Services (EOHHS), specifically via the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging and Independence (formerly the Executive Office of Elder Affairs), contracts and oversees Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES).

 

The Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) Care Provider Code of Ethics and Standards of Service establishes strict ethical, legal, and operational boundaries for contracted care providers and their staff. [1]

The complete ethical and operational mandates required of MVES care providers include:

• Strict Prohibition of Gratuities: Workers are forbidden from soliciting or accepting any tips, gifts, fees, or monetary payments from consumers.
• Conflict of Interest Standards: Providers must thoroughly train all staff to identify, manage, and prevent potential conflicts of interest.
• Mandatory Abuse Reporting: Staff must be comprehensively instructed on exact reporting procedures for cases of suspected abuse, neglect, mistreatment, or misappropriation of consumer property.
• Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action: Providers must strictly comply with all Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action workplace requirements.
• Service Alteration Boundaries: Staff cannot increase, decrease, or modify authorized consumer services without direct permission from an agency care manager.
• Client Confidentiality & WISP Compliance: Providers must secure physical consumer files in locked storage and enforce a Written Information Security Plan (WISP) to safeguard electronic consumer data.
• Money Handling Precautions: Specialized policies must govern employees handling consumer shopping or personal money.
• Compliance Auditing: Providers must maintain standard staffing counts and submit to regular, unannounced on-site compliance audits conducted by Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES). [1, 2, 3]

If you are a provider or consumer looking to verify specific contract parameters, you can review the full MVES Standards of Service Policy Document or navigate the Mystic Valley Elder Services Contracting Portal for comprehensive policy guidelines.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), specifically via the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging and Independence (formerly the Executive Office of Elder Affairs), contracts and oversees Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES). MVES operates as a state-designated Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) and an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to provide essential home care, case management, and caregiver support programs. 

Oversight and Administration

• State Contract: MVES functions as a private, non-profit agency funded through contracts with the Executive Office of Aging & Independence to manage federal Older Americans Act funds and state elder service allocations.
• MassHealth Integration: MVES collaborates directly with EOHHS's MassHealth program to manage specialized Integrated Care Programs like Senior Care Options (SCO), which coordinate medical care, social services, and in-home assistance without copays.
• Local Governance: While overseen by state agency contracts, its immediate operations are guided by a local Board of Directors appointed by municipal Councils on Aging and community members. 

Communities Served

MVES provides coordinated care management and nutrition resources to residents aged 60 and older, as well as adults living with disabilities, across 11 communities north of Boston: 

• Chelsea
• Everett
• Malden
• Medford
• Melrose
• North Reading
• Reading
• Revere
• Stoneham
• Wakefield
• Winthrop 

Core Services Offered

• Care Management: Personal case managers conduct home assessments to coordinate customized care plans.
• At-Home Care: Provision of low-cost or no-cost personal care, housekeeping, and home-delivered meals (Meals on Wheels).
• SHINE Counseling: The Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) program provides certified health insurance counseling to navigate Medicare and MassHealth options.
• Protective Services: Investigates reports of elder abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect within their designated service region.
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• Our current Board officers are: Brian Snell, President; Pamela Kelly, Vice President; Saritin Rizzuto, Treasurer; and Janice Donatelli, Clerk. The remaining members are: Kristin Ahlman, Michele Clopper, Mike Festa, Karen Fotino, Janice Houghton, Chris Kowaleski, Carolyn Lightburn, Carole Lowenstein, Edward Miller, James Oosterman, Joanne Puopolo, Edward Rocha, Matthew Rodes, Kristen Spence, Judith Whatley, Judie VanKooiman  https://mves.org/about-us/