CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance plans to contract-out the operation of the Veterans Nursing Facility in Clarksburg.
New West Virginia Veterans Assistance Secretary Ryan Kennedy told members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee Monday it's gotten too expensive in recent years the cost has become prohibitive for the state to operate the home.
"We are in the process of moving toward contract management where an outside company would bid on and receive a contract to manage it," Kennedy said. "That would take the cost off of the state."
Kennedy said the management company would be in charge of day-to-day operations including human resources.
"They would hire, fire, discipline their own employees and they also absorb the liability for the facility," Kennedy said.
The state opened the Clarksburg home 17 years ago. Kennedy said the main cost driver in recent years has been the inability to fill nursing positions through traditional state jobs. Instead, the agency has had to hire contract nurses which are paid a higher rate.
"In 2021. we spent $3.1 million on contract nursing," Kennedy told the subcommittee. "By 2024 it was almost $7 million and it's just going up and up from there."
Kennedy said he can't see the situation getting any better.
"Because of state rules, we cannot pay nurses as state employees what it takes to keep and retain them. So we have to contract out to an outside company to provide their nurses and it results in a much higher cost," Kennedy said.
The legislature previously approved a supplemental appropriation of $3 million for nursing costs for the current fiscal year.
Commercial kitchen planned
Kennedy said the department has plans to build a commercial kitchen at the Clarksburg nursing home. Right now the home contracts with the Clarksburg VA Hospital for all meals for its residents. Kennedy said the state currently pays $14 a meal/three meals per day per resident.
"That's a lot of money," Kennedy said. "Once we have this commercial kitchen in place we will be able to provide home cook-styled meals for our veterans at a much lower cost than this. It's both a savings in money and it's an increase in quality."
Road to veterans cemetery
Kennedy also lawmakers the Department of Veterans Assistance would like to transfer the upkeep of the $1.2 mile long road in the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veteran Cemetery to the state Department of Transportation.
Kennedy said the road is having problems with cracking.
"They (the DOH) have the expertise and equipment to handle that," Kennedy said.