David Robinson is reporting for the Poughkeepsie Journal New York will soon begin enforcing a 2021 state law establishing staffing minimums at nursing homes. Offending facilities will face fines of up to $2,000 per day for failing to meet the new staffing levels and related financial standards. Roughly 75 percent of the state’s 600 nursing homes have been violating the standards as of early 2022, industry officials said. At this point, hundreds of nursing homes either must hire more staff or reduce the number of residents to avoid fines during the coming months. State health officials also can waive fines in specific communities based on a formula for declaring a local labor shortage. Enforcement of the staffing minimums had been delayed for almost a year during executive orders and legal challenges involving the law. At the same time many nursing home operators argue they are struggling to attract and afford new workers. Some have already started rejecting new residents, leaving hospitals across upstate facing bed shortages due to the large number of well patients awaiting placement at nursing homes. The state law requires every facility to maintain daily staffing hours equal to 3.5 hours of care per resident per day by a certified nurse aide, licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. The law also requires nursing homes to spend at least 70 percent of its revenue on direct resident care, and at least 40 percent of revenue on resident-facing staffing. Read the full story at poughkeepsiejournal [dot] com.