Civil Monetary Penalties

Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) are fines imposed against nursing facilities that do not meet federal health and safety requirements. CMPs are collected by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These funds are used to protect or improve the quality of life or care for nursing facility residents. In collaboration with CMS, the state is authorized to spend funds through three avenues.  

1. Approximately 10% of available funds are set aside to protect and support nursing home residents during facility closures, decertification, natural disasters or other urgent relocation.
2. CMS-CMP is facilitating a national staffing campaign to enhance nursing home staffing through recruitment and financial support. $1,000,000 of the Rhode Island CMP fund has been contributed to support the campaign in Rhode Island. Sixty-eight (68) facilities have been identified for participation. 
3. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) administers the Rhode Island CMP reinvestment grant program in partnership with CMS. This grant opportunity allows certified nursing facilities, non-profit organizations, consumer advocacy organizations, resident or family councils, professional or state nursing home associations, academic institutions, state agencies, and more to apply for funding to improve the lives of nursing facility residents in Rhode Island. 
   • Deadlines: Applications are reviewed twice per year. The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on February 26, 2027, and 5 p.m. on September 30, 2027. 
   • Details and application: How to apply, including allowable and non-allowable uses and required documentation, is detailed in CMS' Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program Application Handbook. Please download a copy of CMS' Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program Application.
   • More information: Pursuant to Survey and Certification Memo 12-13-NH and 42 C.F.R. § 488.433, CMS must review and approve all applications before EOHHS can award funding. Please visit CMS’ CMP Reinvestment Program website for more information regarding eligibility, allowable uses, restrictions, and examples of projects that have been approved in other states. 

CMS has recently broadened the scope of the CMP grant program. Nursing facilities can now run multiple, concurrent programs (during the same year) if the programs address different categories. The available categories are: a) Activities to Improve Quality of Life, b) Training to Improve Quality of Care, c) Resident and Family Councils, and d) Consumer Information.  The maximum budget for any one category has increased to $6,000 per year per facility, with a three (3) year maximum in any one category. In addition to the CMS focus on staffing and workforce, the CMP Reinvestment Program will also consider innovative projects that deliver high-quality behavioral health services for nursing home residents.