Governor Mark Gordon announced today, December 4th, that he has allocated $10 million in CARES Act funding to alleviate staffing shortages in Wyoming nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
The Wyoming Hospital Association has partnered with the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) in the effort, which will bring traveling nurses and certified nursing aides to facilities in need of additional staff. Many facilities around the state are experiencing shortages due to staff members having either tested positive for COVID-19 or because they are required to quarantine.
“Residents of long-term care facilities are among our most vulnerable citizens, and these facilities have been significantly impacted by the surge in cases we are seeing,” Governor Gordon said. “This funding will help ensure that these facilities can continue providing the level of care residents need.”
The Wyoming Hospital Association (WHA) is working with the Wyoming Health Care Association to determine facilities most in need of additional staff. The WHA will work with staffing agencies to provide contract traveling staff to those facilities. It currently has signed contracts to bring 88 additional staff members to Wyoming nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and expects that number to increase in the coming weeks.