For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Governor Abbott Adds Support for Nursing Homes to Special Session Agenda 
Allocating federal dollars would help ensure Texas long-term care facilities can afford necessary health and safety measures as they continue battling COVID-19

AUSTIN – On Wednesday, Governor Abbott announced the second special session date and included on the agenda “supporting the operations of nursing homes, state supported living centers, assisted living facilities, and long-term care facilities” through federal relief appropriations.

“We are very pleased to see that the Governor is prioritizing nursing homes, assisted living and other long-term care facilities regarding the allocation of federal funding through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Much like the CARES Act State and Local Coronavirus Funding, the ARP dollars may be used to support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease the spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association.

Allocating a portion of these federal dollars to nursing homes will continue their efforts to adapt new health and safety measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, recruit and retain much-needed staff, upgrade facilities, and increase education and training for frontline caregivers to help prepare against future pandemics.

“COVID-19 continues to cause mounting financial challenges for long-term care facilities due to a lower census and significant staffing challenges, combined with increased expenses and overall costs of food, supplies, and personal protective equipment,” said Warren. “These federal dollars will go a long way to supporting the already underfunded long-term health care profession, and we thank the Governor for prioritizing our most vulnerable Texans in the second special session,” continued Warren.

In May, a statewide poll of Texans conducted by the American Health Care Association found that 87% of those surveyed say funding long-term care for Texas seniors is an important or top priority and 80% said that ensuring adequate funding for low-income seniors in nursing homes is as important as other top priorities like transportation, water, and education.

To learn more about long-term care funding or to schedule an interview, please reach out to Cara Gustafson at (561) 797-8267 or cara@publicblueprint.com.

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