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Wyoming Health Facilities Struggle with Severe Staffing Gaps; Contract Labor Cost Nears $17M
Summary
Wyoming Department of Health officials told the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee that severe vacancies in certified nursing assistants and nursing positions at five state safety‑net facilities have driven nearly $17 million in FY25 contract‑labor spending and forced the department to operate fewer beds than its physical capacity.
State officials warned the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Oct. 28 that persistent shortages of certified nursing assistants and nurses at five Wyoming Department of Health 24/7 facilities have forced leaders to buy short‑term contract labor and reduce bed capacity.
Director Stefan Johansson told the panel the department’s state‑run facilities — the Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston; the Wyoming Life Resource Center in Lander; the Retirement Center in Basin; the Pioneer Home in Thermopolis; and the Veterans Home in Buffalo — have experienced unusually high vacancy rates among direct‑care staff. The department’s August staffing snapshot showed CNA vacancy rates as high as 67 percent at the Life Resource Center and nursing vacancies reaching 72 percent at the Retirement Center in Basin; several other facilities reported nursing‑vacancy rates around 36–58 percent.
The shortfall, Johansson said, has pushed the department to buy agency nurses and CNAs. ‘‘We have made the decision to, as best we can, to essentially buy contract labor,’’ Johansson said, and the department…
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