Representatives for long-term and child-care facilities expressed their concern and financial frustration over the effects of the coronavirus to a legislative committee meeting on Wednesday.
Betsy Johnson, president of the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities, reminded the Interim Joint Health, Welfare and Family Services Committee, “COVID deaths in long-term care settings have nothing to do with the quality of the facility. Some of the hardest hit facilities here in Kentucky are our best facilities, facilities I have recommended to my parents.”
Rep. Kimberly Moser, R-Taylor Mill, chaired the meeting Wednesday where long-term and child-care facility leaders expressed frustration over the effects of the coronavirus. (Kentucky Today/Tom Latek)
She testified the long-term care facilities need a lot of help. “Mainly funding, to retain our workforce, which has been decimated. Funding to acquire additional personal protective equipment, and to support ongoing COVID testing.”
Johnson pointed out to the lawmakers that 63% of Kentucky’s nearly 900 deaths due to the coronavirus, through Tuesday, have been in long-term care facilities, which includes five staff members.
“We’ve had some of the highest number of deaths, in comparison to other states,” she said. “Although Kentucky has been fairly successful in keeping the infection and death rate down for the general population, we have not been that successful when it comes to our elders in long-term care.”
She noted experts from Harvard, Brown and the University of Chicago all agree, “COVID-19 cases in the community are a top factor in whether there is a COVID outbreak in a facility. COVID deaths in a long-term setting have nothing to do with quality of that facility.”
Johnson said some local health departments have had a “You shall do this” attitude to cases of the coronavirus, “Rather than understanding that nursing facilities have been managing infectious diseases in their buildings way before COVID. They care for these individuals and it’s not a one-size fits all kind of situation.”
She added, “It would be nice to have more of a listen to what we need and we will provide support, rather than dictating what should be happening inside that building.”
Bradley Stevenson with the Child Care Council of Kentucky told the committee there has been a decrease in childcare facilities in Kentucky, even before COVID-19. “Since 2013, we’ve cut the number of childcare providers literally in half,” he testified.
He says a survey was sent out to childcare providers, 642 of them responded. “There was a total licensed capacity of 54,898. Pre-COVID, there was an enrollment of just over 44,000. Post COVID, that number is down to 25,728, so you can see the impact COVID is having upon enrollment.”
Stevenson said with childcare centers currently limited to 10 per group, “We have this workforce that is in a crisis mode, if something doesn’t happen soon with increases on group sizes. I recommend 15 and work our way back.
“If there isn’t relief by November 1, 45 percent of providers have indicated they potentially will have to go out of business.”
Gov. Beshear said during a Tuesday press briefing that he would be releasing a new plan for childcare providers, “soon.”
