Governor Gordon Offering Additional Funding to Healthcare Workers & Facilities
Governor Gordon has announced that he is deploying more federal funding to offer relief and support to current healthcare staff, as well as traveling medical staff.
According to the Governor's office, Gordon is doing this to "address staffing challenges at Wyoming healthcare facilities amidst a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations."
A press release from the Governor's office states that he has allocated $20 million to be utilized by various facilities "on a discretionary basis to stabilize staffing levels."
It was reported that the funding is designed to help fill staffing shortages, provide hazard pay, and strengthen recruitment efforts.
Additionally, another $10 million is being made available to privately-owned Wyoming hospitals and long-term care facilities for traveling medical staff. This is being done via a contract with the Wyoming Hospital Association. Similarly, the Governor noted that non-profit and county-owned hospitals that have secured their own traveling medical staff will be eligible for 100% reimbursement through FEMA funding.
“Wyoming’s healthcare system and healthcare workers, in every community are feeling the strain of this surge,” Governor Gordon said. “We need to recognize our healthcare workers’ commitment to caring for our neighbors during the pandemic. They are working extra-long hours and at times having to cover for sick colleagues. These are very stressful times for all of us, but particularly those in the healthcare industry. This is a means to thank them and to try to make sure we can keep them on the job.”
The release notes that, as of September 7, Wyoming hospitals have reported a total of 230 hospitalized COVID patients, "nearly as many as were hospitalized during the peak of the last surge in November, 2020." His office also stated that "data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that those who are fully-vaccinated have a dramatically reduced risk of requiring hospitalization for a coronavirus infection."