Civil Money Penalties (CMPs) are monetary penalties imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) against nursing homes that have failed to maintain compliance with federal requirements. A portion of CMPs collected from nursing homes are returned to the states in which the CMPs were imposed and may be reinvested or used for projects supporting activities that benefit nursing home residents and that protect and improve their quality of care or quality of life. CMP funds may be used for, but not limited to the following:
- Training or technical assistance
- Assistance to support and protect residents of a facility that closes or is decertified
- Culture change/quality of life
- Projects that support resident and family councils and other consumer involvement
- Resident transition due to facility closure or downsizing
Megan Lewis - CMP Coordinator
Email: CMPfunds@Dhec.sc.gov
Phone: 803-545-4565
SC DHEC
Healthcare Quality
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
COVID-19 In-Person Visitation Aides Funding
Facilities have the opportunity to acquire up to $3,000 of funding for facilities to use towards installation, materials, and shipping costs for allowable items that enable visitation for residents. CMS is clarifying that CMPs can be used to purchase any of the following strictly for the purposes of in-person visitation:
- Tents or other shelter for outdoor visitation (purchase and/or rental); and
- Clear dividers (e.g., Plexiglas or similar product) to create a physical barrier to reduce the risk of transmission during in-person visits.
- COVID-19 In-Person Visitation Aids Application
- COVID-19 In-Person Visitation Aids Application FAQs
- CMS QSO-20-39-NH Memo
COVID-19 Communicative Technology Funding
Facilities have the opportunity to purchase up to $3,000 of adaptive communicative technologies for their residents using CMP Reinvestment funds. Devices must be able to support both virtual social and telehealth visits—they must connect to the internet and have appropriate software or apps. Devices that promote virtual visits include iPads, tablets, Amazon Echo Show, Kindle Fire, and the like. Free software includes WhatsApp (international), FaceTime (Apple), Google Meet, Facebook Messenger, and Skype. The applicant should determine if the facility has internet and Wi-Fi. Applicants may also request reasonable accessories, such as screen protectors and device covers, but the total cost for devices and accessories must remain under $3,000. These devices can also be used to help residents attend telehealth visits.
- CMP Communicative Technology Request Application
- CMP Communicative Technology Request Application FAQs
- CMS QSO-20-28-NH Memo
Civil money Penalty CMP Funds
Who may apply for CMP Funds?
Funds may be granted to any entity for proper use of CMS-approved projects to protect or improve the quality of life for nursing facility residents provided that the responsible receiving entity is:
- Qualified and capable of carrying out the intended project or use.
- Not in any conflict-of-interest relationship with the entity or entities that will benefit from the intended project or use.
- Not paid by a State or federal source to perform the same function as the CMP project or use. CMP funds may not be used to enlarge or enhance an existing appropriation or statutory purpose.
Examples of eligible organizations include, but are not limited to:
- Consumer advocacy organizations
- Resident or family councils
- Professional or State nursing home associations
- Certified nursing homes
- Private contractors
Resources
South Carolina Approved Projects
| Entity | Project | Award | Term |
| University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc.-South Carolina Long-Term Care Emergency Preparedness Educational Program | This project will provide training that is intended to education long-term care administrators, clinical staff, and non-clinical staff with critical knowledge, skills, and abilities related to disaster and emergency management decision-making and planning. | $1,261,091.88 | 06/01/2021-06/01/2024 |
| South Atlantic Healthcare-The Resident Enlightenment Encounters Project | The purpose of this project is to enhance residents' overall quality of life, mitigate restrictions and isolation imposed by chronic medical conditions, and improve their rehabilitation outcomes. | $946,779.95 | 06/01/2020-06/01/2022 |
| Florida Atlantic University-Reducing Avoidable Hospitalizations Across the Continuum of Care | The purpose of this project is to create a decision guide entitled "Go to the Hospital or Stay Here?" and to provide training to nursing home facilities. This project will provide a guide for nursing home patients and families to use when making decisions on conditions and when a decision of hospitalization has to occur. | 85,600.60 | 01/01/2017- 01/01/2020 |
| Lexington Medical Center Extended Care- It’s Never too Late | This project will implement the It's Never Too Late (iN2L) program. The person-centered project will aim to improve all aspects of the residents' lives - social, cognitive, spiritual, physical and emotional well-being. The iN2L offers diverse solutions for resident engagement to help reduce social isolation. | 82,488.44 | 03/01/2019- 03/01/2022 |
| CM Tucker Jr. Nursing Care Center - Fewell and Stone Pavilion- Day room | The project will achieve an environment of home on the secure unit. Furniture and activities will be implemented that are conducive to engaging residents. Residents on the secure unit will become better engaged and enhance their daily routines involving a multi-sensory experience for them to partake. | 2,497.00 | 08/12/2019- 04/01/2020 |
| Bayview Manor- Enhancing Quality of Life for Dementia Resident | The project will build shadow boxes to be able to display items that will assist with memories. Also, there will be the addition of murals, interactive flowers in the secure unit, a Fire Stick and therapeutic DVDs, flowers and Koi for the pond, weighted blankets. This will create a more interactive experience for these residents and will provide a much more calm and peaceful area for the residents to enjoy. | 2,440.60 | 03/25/2019- 05/01/2020 |
| C.M. Tucker Nursing Care Center - Fewell and Stone Pavilions- Establish a Night Room for Quality of Life | The purpose of this project is to create a night room with sensory equipment for residents with Dementia and the resident’s quality of life. Specialized sensory equipment would be utilized when a resident exhibits signs or symptoms of agitation and anxiety. The project will enhance overall quality of life involving a multi-sensory experience for them to partake. | 2,493.42 | 04/17/2019- 04/01/2020 |
| CM Tucker Jr. Nursing Home Center - Roddey Pavilion-Gardening Project | The purpose of this project is to establish a garden for residents to participate in planting, caring, watering, picking, and enjoying the plants. | 2,479.88 | 10/30/2019- 04/01/2020 |
| South Atlantic Health Care- The Resident Enlightenment Encounters Project | This project will implement the It's Never Too Late (iN2L) program. The person-centered project will aim to improve all aspects of the residents' lives - social, cognitive, spiritual, physical and emotional well-being. The iN2L offers diverse solutions for resident engagement to help reduce social isolation. | 946,779.95 | 06/01/2020- 06/01/2022 |
| Bayview Manor- A Vision for Aged Eyes Project | The project will use It's Never Too Late (iN2L) technology to engage residents and introduce them to experiences that were once lost because of their physical and environmental changes. The person-centered technology will enable residents to make choices based on individualized likes and dislikes, improving their total well-being. | 94,116.45 |
07/01/2020- |