After being left out of multiple rounds of COVID-19 relief funding and “jealously” watching their skilled nursing counterparts have expenses reimbursed, Missouri’s assisted living and residential care facilities now have access to $10 million in federal funding.
Under House Bill 3020, Missouri created several grant programs to distribute its American Rescue Plan Act State Fiscal Recovery Funds. Licensed assisted living and residential care facility operators now can apply for a share of $10 million of those funds to cover costs incurred between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022, directly related to pandemic preparation, prevention and response.
Missouri Assisted Living Association Executive Director Keith Sappington told McKnight’s Senior Living that this is the first targeted relief for assisted living and residential care facilities in the state. He applauded Gov. Mike Parson (R) for recognizing that the assisted living and residential care industry was being left out on relief funds, and he thanked the Legislature for approving the recommendation.
“This is the first time they’ve had anything like this substantial they could get funds for pandemic-related expenses,” Sappington said. “The [Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services] has been great to work with in trying to make this as easy for these facilities to get reimbursed for expenses up to the total amount they are due.”
With more than 650 assisted living and residential care facilities in the state, and more than 28,000 licensed beds, Sappington said, the $10 million in funding will equate to approximately $348 per licensed bed.
“Every little bit helps any of these facilities from all the expenses they’ve endured through the pandemic,” he said. “We’d like more, but they’re not going to turn this away. This is going to be beneficial.” MALA is a state partner of Argentum.
LeadingAge Missouri CEO William B. Bates told McKnight’s Senior Living that the association’s assisted living provider members are “thrilled” at the opportunity to seek some pandemic-related expense reimbursement.
“While we have some free-standing assisted living facility members, most of our members are part of life plan communities,” Bates said. “So assisted living facility leaders have watched their skilled nursing facility counterparts jealously as they took advantage of similar COVID expense reimbursement previously.”
Bates said that he anticipates that many members will seek reimbursement for staffing agency costs incurred during the allowable time frame, owing to “very difficult workforce attraction and retention challenges.”
Costs eligible for reimbursement are those related to payroll, training and orientation, and operational supplies. Eligible expenses include those for wage rate increases, overtime pay, bonuses, staff orientation, disease prevention and response, software, personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, sanitation company services and staff member incentives.
Reimbursement will be based on a facility’s number of licensed beds and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the funding is exhausted.
Applications opened Sept. 1. Funds must be allocated by Dec. 31, 2024, and spent by Dec. 31, 2026.
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