More than 200,000 long-term care workers in Minnesota may qualify for $1,000 bonuses as part of an initiative to help address the state’s nursing shortage.
However, at least one statewide long-time care advocacy organization believes the new money falls well short of meeting the long-term needs of providers in addressing their staffing needs.
Thanks to $84 million in funding approved in 2023, the Minnesota Care Force Incentive will support direct care professionals who provide care to long-term care patients, as well as people with disabilities and children with autism. Under the funding plan, eligible employers can apply for the additional bonuses on behalf of their employees.
The funds are to be used for employee retention and incentive payments, and employers must distribute the funds to their employees within 45 days of receipt, according to the Minnesota Care Force Incentive program. according to a news release from the Minnesota Department of Human Resources.
Erin Huppert, vice president of advocacy for LeadingAge Minnesota, which represents non-profit nursing homes and assisted living providers in the state, said while they appreciate one-time bonuses for long-term care employees, they are not the ultimate solution to the state’s nursing crisis.
“Our state has more seniors than schoolchildren,” she said in an email statement to McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. “We’ve had a piecemeal approach to addressing our workforce challenges. We need to meet this unique moment with a multi-faceted approach — that includes providing critical funding and looking for creative ways to open career paths and provide professional development.”
Huppert said that the workforce shortage in long-term care is a serious problem and getting worse, with a projected 60,000 Minnesotans turning age 65 every year between now and 2030.
‘There is a growing body of evidence that one-time bonuses are not the most impactful way to recruit or retain employees over the long-term, and so while these bonuses are very welcome, we continue to advocate on behalf of state funding to provide competitive wages for our caregivers,” she added.
The new bonus funding will go to care workers who work for eligible employers that make $30 an hour or less. Among those eligible are employees in nursing home or boarding care services, home and community based services, home care service, personal care services and other areas.
Employers will submit their employees in two phases. In the first phase, which goes through September 30, employers must provide information to determine their eligibility for the program, including how many employees are eligible and how they plan to disburse funds. They will then be notified about their eligibility in late October, after which they will have to submit their formal application on behalf of eligible employees.
Notification about award announcements will be delivered in January 2025.
