House Approves Measure to Establish Temporary Staffing Pool for Long-Term Care, Reinstate COVID-19 Waivers

(KNSI) — A bill allowing the Minnesota Department of Human Services to establish a temporary staffing pool for long-term care facilities has passed the DFL controlled House.

Representative Jen Schultz, who authored the measure, made an impassioned plea on the House floor Thursday asking others to help facilities that are stressed to the max, saying it is “vital to pass this legislation to help group homes, nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, other organizations that serve our most vulnerable populations. All of these providers have been stressed during the pandemic and now they’re stressed even more because of staffing shortages.”

Schultz adds that there was a staffing crisis before the onset of COVID-19, adding that residents were at risk due to unacceptable staffing levels.

The bill invests just over $1 million toward a temporary staffing pool at the DHS with priority given to facilities and programs where residents would be at the highest risk of injury if they needed to transfer from where they are to another facility or hospital for adequately staffed care. A facility or program could seek one-time assistance from the pool – for up to 21 days – only after using all resources available to obtain temporary staff but can’t meet the need.

The bill also allows DHS and the Minnesota Department of Health to reinstate a series of waivers to provide flexibility and remove barriers toward delivering services.

Meanwhile, the GOP-controlled Minnesota Senate previously approved a prior version of the bill and, following House approval, will consider it again.

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