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Veterans services requests pilot temporary nursing pool, flags federal Build America, Buy America waiver hold on Boise home rebuild
Summary
The Division of Veterans Services told JFAC it faces high turnover among skilled nursing staff, plans a pilot to reduce reliance on costly contract nurses, and is awaiting federal waivers under the Build America, Buy America Act before major construction on the Boise veterans home can proceed.
Mark Shample, administrator of the Idaho Division of Veterans Services, told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee the division is piloting a temporary nursing pool to reduce high contract-labor costs and that federally supported home rebuilds remain delayed pending federal waivers under the Build America, Buy America Act.
Why it matters: The state operates four veterans homes that provide skilled nursing. The homes are near capacity, but the division reports persistent recruitment and retention challenges that raise personnel costs and increase use of contractor nursing staff. Major construction for a new Boise home and Lewiston renovation is federally funded but cannot proceed until the VA grants waivers on Buy America sourcing rules.
Temporary nursing pool: The division requested a net transfer of…
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