The Valley High Operating Committee heard an administrator's report that census has stabilized "at a 100 plus," and that September was the first full month to reflect memory-care unit revenues, improving the facility's short-term financial picture.

The Administrator told the committee that while September financials "look really, really good," the board should not assume a one-month pattern. The Administrator said some line-item figures in the spoken record were unclear and that more reliable budget details are expected with the next fiscal cycle in the spring.

Officials flagged uncertainty over changes to Medicaid funding. The Administrator said there is an "unknown" impact from what was referred to in the meeting as 'ABBA' and described a broader Medicaid "haircut" to long-term care in Illinois, adding that she will remain on the Illinois Health Care Association board for another year "so that way I can be in the room to try to protect that" for county nursing homes.

On federal staffing rules, the Administrator said a proposed federal staffing mandate "got defeated in the courts" and the federal government has not appealed, meaning Valley High will continue to follow Illinois staffing standards, which the Administrator said the facility already exceeds.

Committee members were briefed on preparations for the upcoming Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) survey. The Administrator described an eight-week checklist and a rolling prep process set to begin Wednesday, noting that the federal government shutdown delayed surveys and that the facility's CMS survey window opens Jan. 1; the Administrator said the actual survey could be scheduled later in the spring when the facility's license renewal is due.

Leadership also agreed to pause pursuing a statewide 'gold' quality award for now. The Administrator summarized the reasoning: pursuing the award offered limited benefit for referrals or reimbursement and would divert time and resources from organizational health. As the Administrator put it, "if you don't know about that award, it doesn't mean anything to anybody."

Operational items: the committee approved the minutes of the prior meeting and passed the consent agenda by roll call (motions recorded in the meeting as moved by 'Carl' with 'John' seconding for the minutes approval, and moved by 'Carl' with 'Terry' seconding for the consent agenda). A motion to adjourn carried later in the meeting.

Next steps noted in the meeting: staff will continue budget monitoring and advocacy at the Illinois Health Care Association; the business office will take on the sustainability tool for refinement and market review; and the facility will continue CMS survey preparations through the checklist process. The Administrator said more definitive budget impacts from Medicaid changes are likely to appear in the spring when the FY budget cycle progresses.