The Boston Globe’s editorial board issued a strong endorsement this week for licensing private-pay home care agencies, reinforcing a policy position the Home Care Alliance has long advanced. The editorial lays out the core problem: under the current unregulated system, consumers have no consistent safeguards or quality standards when inviting workers into their homes.

The Globe underscores the risks this creates for vulnerable older adults and families seeking reliable care, noting that statewide licensure is essential to establishing transparency, accountability, and basic protections for the public.

In making the case, the editorial prominently features comments from Harrison Collins, the Alliance’s director of legislative affairs. Collins stressed that the absence of oversight “creates a lack of confidence in who’s coming into your home” and that responsible agencies across the state want to drive out “bad actors” who undermine the industry’s credibility.

The Globe also points out that the Alliance played a significant role in shaping the legislation that passed the Massachusetts House last month — a milestone reflecting years of education, coalition-building, and detailed policy work.

With the editorial board’s backing and the Alliance’s expertise helping to anchor the debate, momentum is now building for Senate passage. The message from the Globe is clear: the status quo is no longer acceptable, and Massachusetts has an opportunity — and an obligation — to put meaningful standards in place.