WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) released the following statement following the passage of the Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act (H.R. 8244) in the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee. The bill, first introduced by
Reps. Ron Estes (KS-04) and Gerry Connolly (VA-11), will help address the nationwide shortage of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) by ensuring that nurse aides have access to the training they need to provide quality care to residents and advance their career. Specifically, the bill expands opportunities for nursing facilities to offer in-house education programs, which is crucial as the profession seeks to grow its workforce.
The following is attributable to
Clif Porter, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at AHCA/NCAL:"We commend the members of the committee for answering the call to support direct care professionals and nursing homes as they work diligently to strengthen the long term care workforce. In the wake of the unfunded federal staffing mandate, legislation like this is a welcome, stark contrast that helps bolster our workforce to meet future demands and directly improves access to care for our nation’s seniors. We thank the committee for its leadership on this issue and we urge Congress to pass the bill swiftly.”