Genesis HealthCare, which owns several skilled nursing, assisted living for seniors and rehabilitation centers in Maine, has filed for bankruptcy protections in an attempt to ensure its long-term stability.

The company, headquartered in Pennsylvania, provides long-term and short-term care to its residents and patients at nearly 200 centers across 17 states. In addition to its short-stay and long-term care services, it also offers specialized Alzheimer’s care, orthopedic rehabilitation, ventilator care, dialysis care and assisted/senior living services.

Genesis operates 11 facilities in Maine, including Sandy River Center in Farmington and Marshwood Center in Lewiston, as well as Cedar Ridge Center in Skowhegan, Oak Grove Center in Waterville, Sedgewood Commons in Falmouth, Pine Point Center in Scarborough and Springbrook Center in Westbrook.

Genesis filed voluntarily for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection July 9 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas with the goal of emerging stronger and more efficient, the company said.

This restructuring is part of a strategic plan to address legacy liabilities from previously divested operations, according to Genesis spokesperson Nerida Brennan.

There are no plans to close facilities and day-to-day operations will continue without disruption, a news release said. Staff will retain their positions, pay and benefits, and vendor agreements remain intact.

The company’s focus, the release said, remains on maintaining quality care for patients and residents.

“Our daily operations remain unchanged, and our commitment to those we serve continues uninterrupted,” the release said.

Genesis has secured $30 million in debtor-in-possession financing from existing secured lenders. This financing, plus cash on hand and ongoing revenue, will support operations throughout the process, the company said.

“In the last several years, Genesis HealthCare has significantly strengthened our operational performance by investing in, designing and implementing a forward-looking, enterprise-wide shift from centralized to local market-based operations. Focusing resources and decision-making at the local market level has reduced administrative overhead and improved resident experience, staff recruitment and retention, quality, and financial operations,” the news release said.

“We have much to be proud of for the tremendous progress we have made as an organization over the last several years as we have implemented a forward-looking, enterprise-wide shift from centralized to market-based operations,” David Harrington, executive chairman of the Genesis HealthCare board of directors, said in the release.

Court filings and additional information related to the proceedings are available at https://dm.epiq11.com/Genesis.

The company has not been without its problems in Maine.

The Marshwood Center, a skilled nursing facility that provides short-term rehabilitation services and long-term care and respite care, was acquired by Genesis HealthCare in 2008. It operates Marshwood under Lewiston Operations LLC.

The 108-bed facility has an overall rating of two out of five stars through the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services. Its last federal health inspection resulted in 15 citations, above the state average of 11.6, according to information on the centers website. It has received six citations in the last three years resulting from complaints.

In 2019 the state cracked down on the facility after several patients and loved ones reported inadequate care. One patient’s spouse even reported finding maggots in an open sore when they returned home from the facility.

That same year, four of the five nursing homes named on Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services list of problem facilities in Maine were owned by Genesis, including Marshwood.

The issues culminated in the state asking Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Centers to stop paying for new patients to stay at the facility by spring 2020 if issues did not improve quickly.

Later that year in July, the facility reported a COVID-19 outbreak that resulted in four deaths, one of several outbreaks at Genesis properties during the pandemic. The outbreak lasted several weeks that summer, affecting 31 residents and 17 staff members. It reported another outbreak later that year in December.

(Staff Writer Kendra Caruso contributed to this story.)