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Veterans services seeks to convert some contract nursing to temporary state employees and presses federal waiver for veterans‑home rebuilds
Summary
The Division of Veteran Services proposed shifting $1.2 million of operating appropriation into personnel to create a 22‑position temporary nursing pool to reduce reliance on expensive contract nurses and asked the committee to note ongoing delays receiving federal state‑home construction funds due to Build America, Buy America waiver issues.
Frances Lippett, budget and policy analyst with the legislative services office, reviewed the Division of Veteran Services’ budget and described staffing pressures and construction grant timing for the state veterans homes.
Mark Shample, chief administrator for the Idaho Division of Veteran Services, told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee the division is piloting a temporary nursing pool to reduce reliance on contract nurse agencies. "A lot of the questions circle around how much contracted staff we have. ... This will actually allow us to hire some of those folks that have expressed that interest and it should reduce our reliance on contracted staff, which cost about 3 times more than our state staff," Shample said.
Why it matters: the division operates four state veterans homes and…
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