The House Bill 45 ARPA Funding for the Assisted Living Workforce Support Program is finally open. Link to the application and guidance is: ARPA Assisted Living Workforce Support Program Application. The application end date is June 22, 2023. You should receive an email from ARPAprovider@obm.ohio.gov with a validation code to authenticate the application. Eligibility was determined by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the distribution methodology was established by the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) based on a per bed distribution (70% or $28 million) and units of assisted living waiver services (30% or $12 million) in FY 2022. The funds can be used for eligible workforce expenses incurred between 1/27/20 and 6/30/24 which have not been reimbursed by other sources (i.e., no double dipping) and there will be required reporting on the use of funds.
An assisted living provider shall use the payment exclusively for direct care staff compensation including:
- Overtime pay: Payments made after January 27, 2020 for overtime worked directly supporting COVID-19 work or to deal with pandemic related staffing shortages.
- Shift differential payments: Includes any type of differential payments over and above the provider’s standard policy as of January 27, 2020 to promote workforce retention.
- Staff retention bonus: Incentive payment(s) as compensation over and above an hourly rate of pay, separate from an employee’s standard wages, provided after January 27, 2020, to promote workforce retention.
- Hiring bonus: Incentive payment(s) as compensation that is over and above an hourly rate of pay, separate from an employee’s standard wages, provided after January 27, 2020.
- Hiring new direct care workers: Wages and/or salaries paid to newly hired permanent care workers to expand capacity and reduce workloads to improve current staff retention. Newly hired permanent positions funded must be above and beyond the employer’s aggregate FTE count as of January 27, 2020, and not a replacement of workers that ceased employment with the employer since January 27, 2020
Contact your HW&Co. advisors to learn more about applying for funding through the ARPA Assisted Living Workforce Support Program.
@2023
Principal
paula.reape@hwco.cpa
