Today the Senate Human Services Reform committee held an informational hearing to discuss a number of topics, including Governor Walz’s plan to staff new COVID-19 “decompression sites.” These sites will be treated as intermediary locations between hospital and home, so that those recovering from COVID-19 will have an alternate location for convalescence before being fully discharged.

The State has contracted a staffing agency to provide temporary workers for these sites. Separately, the Governor has also alerted the National Guard as a potential secondary strategy for filling in employment gaps where necessary.

“I find it very concerning that the Governor has such a weak plan to staff these new decompression sites, and we have no idea where these sites will be, or what they will need in terms of staffing,” said Senator Karin Housley (R-Stillwater). “My worry is that this new project will draw our qualified registered nurses (RN’s) and licensed practical nurses (LPN’s) from our long-term care facilities that are already facing severe staffing shortages. These care workers have already been working overtime for the last year and a half, and they continue to face COVID deaths every single day—this is difficult work!”

In the hearing, Assistant Commissioner for Continuing Care for Older Adults Dan Pollock testified, stating that they would be prioritizing the decompression sites over the staffing of long-term care facilities. 

“There are currently over 23,000 job vacancies at these long-term care facilities—this new ‘plan’ cannot rob Peter to pay Paul,” continued Sen. Housley. “Taking these essential nurses from the facilities where they work would be insulting to the facilities and the residents they serve. I am begging the Governor and his Administration to prioritize these long-term care sites and allow their staff to stay where they are most needed.”