Gov. Jim Justice announced Thursday that his administration will increase its funding for state programs that provide in-home care for people with disabilities, seniors and others in hopes of addressing a workforce shortage.
The funding will go toward a 15% Medicaid reimbursement rate increase for providers that serve vulnerable adults and children in state waiver programs. The money is meant to improve pay for direct care workers, who currently earn around $11 an hour, but there is no requirement on how providers spend the money.
A 2023 survey said West Virginia needed to increase its rate of reimbursement and the worker salary range to $15.50-$18.60 per hour; the new rate increase, which goes into effect Oct. 1, reflected the study’s recommendations.
“We can get some more bucks to these great people who are absolutely doing God’s work,” Justice said. “I’m just tickled to death to do that.”
Companies that employ direct care workers have said the rate increase, which was well below neighboring states, was necessary to employ and retain its workforce.
Eric Hicks, board president of the West Virginia’s chapter of the Home Care Association of America, anticipated home care wages being increased by agencies statewide. He noted that West Virginia was one of the nation’s most elderly states.
“This investment allows West Virginia seniors and those with disabilities to age in their homes with dignity,” Hicks said. “Home care saves both families and the state from the enormous costs of long-term care facilities, which the Department of Human Services recently reported poses a $200-plus million annual additional taxpayer risk to the Medicaid program.”
Senior centers across the state, which provide in-home care to elderly residents through Medicaid, have also struggled to keep enough workers. Jennifer Brown, president of the West Virginia Directors of Senior and Community Services, said the rate increase would allow senior care providers to offer competitive salaries.
“This will enable our members to continue our vital mission of caring for, transporting and providing meals to seniors in West Virginia who are in the greatest need of assistance,” she said. “Our group of providers offers comprehensive services to seniors, prioritizing their well-being over profits.”
In-home care is also a cost-saving measure for the state as paying for long-term care, like nursing homes and psychiatric facilities, is much more expensive
During the May special session, lawmakers gave DoHS $180 million in a reserve fund that they could use to improve Medicaid reimbursement rates. Lawmakers declined to mandate that DoHS spend the money to increase the rates after learning the department had spent money earmarked for people with disabilities on things like in-home COVID-19 tests.
While the Justice administration delayed action on the rate increase, a group home in Martinsburg for people with disabilities, many without family members, announced its closure earlier this month. Companies providing in-home care to seniors laid off workers due to financial loss.
A press release from Justice’s office did not specify how much the rate increase would cost or where the funding would come from. Spokespeople for Justice and DoHS did not respond to questions for this story by deadline.
DoHS did not require providers to use a certain amount of the reimbursement amount on increasing workers’ salaries.
Disability Rights West Virginia Legal Director Mike Folio applauded the rate increase, but said that it was still millions of dollars short of what was needed as the state has infinitely institutionalized more people with disabilities.
“DoHS hasn’t increased rates in more than 10 years and the rate increases are not tied to a wage pass-through to guarantee that the increased revenue will be used to bolster front-line workers’ wages,” he said. “Hiring and retention are necessary to end the skyrocketing number of involuntary commitments, but the rate increase gives providers free reign to spend the new revenue on management lunches and trips and not on workers’ wages.”
The state Bureau for Medical Services plans to monitor the impact of increased rates on worker pay and member access to services “to determine if the increased rates are having the desired effect on workforce availability and tenure,” according to a press release.
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Sinks Grove, WV (WOAY)- In Sinks Grove, there is a small farm where there are some very happy animals. This farm also recently won the West Virginia Hive’s 2024 Pitch Southern West Virginia competition.
Waymaker’s Meadows Farm strives to provide healthy and local meat and produce to local markets.
Mike Teaney spoke with the farmers to share the good news.
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Governor Jim Justice recently announced the winners of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ third annual Monster Trout Contest.
“Congratulations to these lucky anglers for reeling in some truly incredible catches,” Justice said. “As a lifelong angler I also want to thank everyone for sharing their monster trout photos during our fall trout stockings and showing the world that West Virginia is a premier fishing destination.”
The five lucky anglers each caught a tagged monster trout, which were stocked during the weeks of Oct. 21 and Oct. 28. Those stockings included 35,000 pounds of trophy-size trout and 6,500 pounds of monster trout, 100 of which received a pink tag. Anglers who caught a tagged monster trout had until November 22 to submit a photo of their catch with the tag number to win a prize.
Click here to view winning photos.
In addition to these five winners, 38 verified anglers who caught tagged monster trout and uploaded a photo will also receive a WVDNR water bottle and tackle box.
Governor Justice also reminded anglers that the WVDNR stocked trout on the Elk River in Webster County in November as part of a pilot program to evaluate the economic impact of trout stocking in the area. The stocking occurred at the usual stocking locations and included 750 rainbow trout. A second stocking will take place later in December and include another 750 rainbow trout.
All anglers 15 years and older are required to have a West Virginia fishing license, trout stamp and a valid form of identification while fishing for trout. Anglers who want to get a head start on planning their 2025 fishing adventures are encouraged to renew their license early online at WVfish.com.
Child advocacy centers, recovery housing and diversion programs in West Virginia will receive grants as part of the initial round of $10.4 million distributed by the nonprofit allocating opioid settlement funds in the U.S. state with the highest overdose rate.
The West Virginia First Foundation announced funding Monday for 38 programs across six regions of the state representing “a crucial step in addressing the epidemic with both urgency and care,” Executive Director Jonathan Board said.
The proposals were chosen from 174 applications received by the foundation for funding this year for an initial round of around $19.2 million in grants. Foundation officials say they plan to disperse around $8.8 million in supplemental awards to organizations that weren’t selected for the first round, under the requirement that they make adjustments and reapply.
A total of 11 organizations will receive money for youth substance use prevention and workforce development, with the largest share — $442,800 — going to support Seed Sower, Inc. in the southern West Virginia counties of Fayette, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Nicholas, Webster, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Mercer, Wyoming and McDowell. Ten county commissions, local police departments and other organizations received funding for programs to divert individuals from the criminal justice system and provide them with support and treatment with the largest sum — around $625,650 — going to the Berkeley County Diversion and Interdiction Project.
Seven organizations were granted funding for expanding access to transitional and recovery housing, with Southern WV Fellowship Home, Inc. receiving the largest share, $658,800. Ten child advocacy centers across the state are receiving funding, including North Star Child Advocacy Center in Parkersburg, which will receive $720,000 to expand operations.
“The holidays can be a challenging time for many, and we hope this announcement reinforces a message of hope, recovery, and progress for West Virginia communities,” said Matt Harvey, the foundation’s board chair and prosecuting attorney in Jefferson County.
Officials from 55 West Virginia counties signed on to a memorandum of understanding that allows money to be funneled through the West Virginia First Foundation and dictates how it can be spent. The state Legislature and Gov. Jim Justice gave it the green light earlier this year.
According to the agreement, the foundation is responsible for distributing just under three-quarters of the settlement money. Around a quarter will go directly to local communities and 3% will remain in trust.
The state is receiving money from each of its settlement agreements on a staggered schedule, with annual payments coming until at least 2036. The private foundation alone is expected to receive around $367 million over the next five years.
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