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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Lawmakers return to Charleston next week. They will be hosting a series of meetings in preparation for next month’s regular session.
Among items on the agenda, a discussion about workforce shortages in long-term care -- a significant issue for families.
Many just hope they’ll be able to provide the care that’s needed for Mom and Dad, and most want to provide that care at home -- not a nursing home. But doing so takes workers and right now, regardless of the location, long-term care workers are in short supply.
“We certainly need more of them,” said Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell. “The needs are tremendous, and right now we’re just not able to fill the gaps and the needs. We have more need than workers to fill the gaps.”
Filling that gap has been a priority for AARP of West Virginia. It formed a state task force to look at the issue, and Tuesday its members will make recommendations to lawmakers.
Rohrbach leads the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Health. It will hear the task force’s presentation
Rohrbach praised the report. Having already looked at it, he gave us a preview.
The ideas include extra pay to better train workers and higher reimbursements from insurance, a way to help providers pay higher wages and encourage more workers to enter the field.
Rohrbach hopes recent state budget surpluses can help the effort.
“I’ve seen the needs, and I know what our patients need,” Rohrbach said. “They want to stay in their homes as long as they can, and most of them can if we give them a little bit of help in their daily living tasks, and that’s what a lot of this is going to be focused on.”
Committee members will also receive a presentation on the state’s nursing shortage.
Interim meetings take place Monday and Tuesday at the State Capitol.
The 60-day regular session begins Jan. 11.
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December 03, 2022 at 05:49AM
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Lawmakers to hear solutions to long-term workforce shortage - WSAZ
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