The Regulation of Nursing Home and Assisted Living Beds Interim Committee met in Pierre on Tuesday, Aug. 23, sharing observations from recent provider visits and listening to public testimony on such issues as the moratorium limiting the number of nursing home beds in the state.
Jen Porter, SDAHO’s vice president post-acute care, joined other health care leaders providing testimony in support of the current moratorium process, coupled with a reliable and effective RFP process. The committee learned about workforce and funding challenges that affect the availability of nursing home beds and expressed interest in learning how the current RFP process could be improved. Workforce challenges were emphasized as a key concern of nursing facility providers in meeting current and future resident needs. Committee members also listened to updates from the Department of Social Services and an overview of certificate of need programs across the nation by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The next meeting of the committee, scheduled for Sept. 8, in Pierre, and will include a discussion of findings of fact to inform its final report and offer another opportunity for public testimony. Documents shared with the committee can be found here.
