DECISION 2022
In an effort to keep you, our readers, well-informed and abreast of relevant issues, today is the 16th in a series of questions we are asking all of Steele County’s candidates for state office.
We want voters to know where each candidate stands on the issues in order to make their best decision at the ballot box.
Each week, we’ll ask the candidates a new question. They will all receive the same question, be given a word limit and a deadline of four days to answer. We’ll publish their answers the following Wednesday; responses may be edited for length.
The series will continue through Oct. 26, the last Wednesday before the Nov. 8 general election.
If a candidate doesn’t respond, we’ll note that.
This week, we’re asking about health care staffing:
According to the Minnesota Department of Human Services, employers in every region of the state are struggling to recruit and retain direct support professionals. DSPs are workers who provide critical support to older adults, people with disabilities and people with mental health care needs. Although their services are essential to the health and well-being of many Minnesotans, several positions remain unfilled – and shortages are predicted to get worse over the next 10 years. The timing is especially bad: The aging of the Baby Boomer generation could fuel a 75% increase in the number of Americans age 65 and older requiring nursing home care.
What are ways the legislature can help with this staffing shortage?
There was a 250-word limit.
We advise you to ignore the R or DFL behind each name and reflect only on the answers. You might be surprised to find more common ground than you expected. An (i) indicates the incumbent candidate, though with this spring’s redistricting, the district numbers may not align with the seat they’re seeking.
Question 16: What are ways the legislature can help with the state-wide staffing shortage of direct support professionals in health care? (250 words)
Minnesota House District 19B
Abdulahi Ali Osman – DFL, of Owatonna: As the Baby Boomer generation age the need for healthcare professionals and helpers increases. While there is a shortage of healthcare workers, the future will be much worse. Currently, like many industries, healthcare is also facing a severe shortage of professionals and helpers. I would propose multi-faceted legislation that deals with the issue from different perspectives.
The first is to improve the training quality of healthcare programs and increase the educational facilities.
The second is to create a conducive environment including affordable housing, healthcare, family leave, and education along with competitive salaries.
Finally, I would introduce a bill that increases funding for healthcare facilities and use state of the art technologies, e.g., robots and computers that support the work of healthcare professional and workers.
John Petersburg – R (i-24A), of Waseca: It seems to me that there are two primary barriers to recruitment and retention of staffing: state reimbursement rates and rules & regulations. Recent minimum wage increases have raised wages across the board faster than the reimbursement rates. This makes the competition for staffing much more difficult. The legislature will have to struggle with prioritizing the funding for this essential area. Reimbursement rates need to stay competitive with the surrounding wages to help with staff retention.
In addition, we need to review and evaluate current rules and regulations that may be either outdated or overly restrictive. A balance between the safety and security of the client and the regulations or rules will have to be reviewed.
With the current expected surplus, I believe there is a potential to accomplish both. But it will require determination and the will to do so.
Minnesota House District 23A
Peggy Bennett – R (i-27A), of Albert Lea: I have greatly enjoyed and valued visiting local group homes to learn about important issues impacting disability service providers and employees, as well as visiting our local nursing homes. In 2015, I was part of a successful legislative effort that made significant reforms in how the state reimburses senior care facilities. Those reforms helped to boost employee pay and keep nursing home doors open.
Direct support professionals (DSPs) are dedicated, caring professionals. These are often very challenging careers. With other employers offering better pay, sign-on bonuses, and other benefits to attract workers, many DSPs have found it necessary to leave the field for better paying jobs.
One way we can help retain and gain more DSPs would be to increase the state Medicaid reimbursements, which would allow providers to offer competitive employee pay. Last session, I voted in favor of increased reimbursement for both nursing homes and disability service providers. This is a real emergency. Unfortunately, the House majority blocked these measures and eventually nothing passed on these fronts.
Another way we can address staffing shortages is through assistive technology to help people with disabilities achieve and maintain independence. I have visited SEMCIL in Rochester, an impressive center for independent living which connects people with assistive technology to promote independence. We should support effective services like this as well.
I believe that caring for the elderly and disabled who cannot care for themselves is a core function of state government and society. We must do this smartly, effectively, and compassionately.
Mary Hinnenkamp – DFL, of Albert Lea: When my dad was in his late seventies, his health began to fail. His care fell increasingly on my mom. In spite of her good health, caring for him took a toll on her. She needed more support.
As I knock on doors, I meet so many seniors who want to remain in their homes but need support to do so. I meet seniors in nursing homes and care facilities getting excellent care and remaining as independent as possible.
I talk to nursing supervisors and administrators at care facilities. They all express concerns about staff shortages.
I meet nurses, care providers at nursing homes and group homes, at their doors, in their cars coming from work. They express exhaustion working extra hours because of worker shortages.
What’s to be done? While the state provides the funding, nursing homes are increasingly in the hands of for-profit entities. We need to be open to a variety of models of care that may be more efficient and provide better care. The state should raise the Medicaid reimbursement so that workers are better paid, get benefits, and remain in the profession. The state should initiate programs and policies that encourage people to begin work as support staff, providing incentives such as training programs or free tuition for advancement. High schools could provide students who take CNA classes with credit toward graduation, as we did at the Albert Lea Area Learning Center.
Seniors deserve our full attention and quality care.
Minnesota House District 23B
Patricia Mueller – R (i-27B), of Austin: Because of workforce shortages, many employers are offering much higher wages to compete for the limited workforce. These wage increases were the result of inflation and other market demands. After COVID-19, many people left the workforce or retired early. We do not have enough workforce participation to replace those who left. So, employers responded by increasing wages and offering signing bonuses. But there are still several other ways we can address the workforce shortages.
First, we can promote apprenticeships by allowing schools to partner with local businesses. This provides education choice and offers students experience in fields that could be their future careers. Employers are often willing to train students, which could help them receive certifications and allow them to be employed sooner with less college debt. This would also allow individuals to enter the workforce earlier to learn the durable skills needed to be successful in the workplace.
Second, we need to remove unnecessary barriers for individuals who are considering a career change. Excessive schooling or extensive practicum hours are often an overwhelming hurdle. We can take advantage of Grow Your Own programs and funds that utilize alternative programs to traditional education and often provide a paycheck while gaining experiences. By honoring past experiences and education, we can provide multiple pathways to graduate in fields that are in demand.
It is important to recognize the struggles our job providers are experiencing and then remove burdensome barriers for both employers and employees.
Tom Stiehm – DFL, of Austin: The state must address this issue with training programs and other incentives.
Minnesota Senate District 19
Kate Falvey – DFL, of Faribault: The need for elder care, mental health care, and other DSP services are indeed vital to the health of our communities. Care for our seniors and those most in need should be a high priority for our nation and state.
We must recruit people to serve their communities and give incentives such as tuition waivers, grants, or scholarships to encourage people – especially young people – to choose these rewarding careers. We must also increase the wages for these support professionals. The non-profit care centers and organizations’ hands are tied if they receive Medicare funding for salaries for their employees and if Medicare does not increase the amount of money they give to these facilities, they cannot offer higher wages.
It is astounding (and upsetting) to me that the three sectors of employment: education (especially ESPs), nursing, and DSPs are the least-funded, and sometimes also the least-respected or sought-after positions in our society. The people in all three of these sectors work with our PEOPLE, with our citizenry. The need is only going to increase in the next 5-10 years due to the aging Boomer population, so we must think ahead and get people excited about serving their fellow citizens in these rewarding careers. The public should revere and respect these positions as well, but that will take some time for changing people’s hearts.
John Jasinksi – R (i-24), of Faribault: Did not respond.
Minnesota Senate District 23
Gene Dornink – R (i-27), of Brownsdale: The staffing crisis in nursing homes and long-term care facilities is hitting our community especially hard. My colleagues and I in the Senate approved an unprecedented $1 billion in investments to address these issues. Senate Republicans have held hearings going back to 2021 to hear and learn from people in those facilities just how bad it was going to get. Democrats in the Minnesota House rejected the $1 billion proposal.
One of the issues long-term care facilities are facing is providing competitive pay and benefits to their employees. The Senate proposal provided pay increases for those dedicated people who staff these facilities and care for our loved ones. Second, we need more people going into the field. We proposed free or reduced education for those looking to work in long term care. A third issue is people leaving the field. There is huge turnover with people exiting the workforce or taking higher paying jobs outside the state. The Senate proposal provided for retention bonuses for those willing to stay.
I have heard from many in our community about how critical this legislation is. I toured facilities in our communities and met with administrators and staff. I stand ready to pass substantial and meaningful legislation to address this looming crisis by stabilizing the current workforce, recruiting additional staff, and helping facilities who are facing severe financial shortfalls. We need to work together to support our long-term care homes. They take care of our loved ones and it’s time to support them.
Brandon Lawhead – DFL, of Austin: Did not respond.
Next week’s question:
Current Minnesota law does not require photo identification at the polls for registered voters. Minnesota voters can also register at the polls on the day of an election by providing one of several approved forms of proof of address, or by having a registered voter vouch for them. A proposed bill from the State Senate in 2021 required – among other things – that all voters present a photo ID at the polls. It narrowly passed the Senate but had no support in the House of Representatives.
Do you support laws that require all voters to produce an official photo ID in order to vote? Why or why not? If yes, what types of IDs do you think should qualify?
There will be a limit of 300 words.