VVH Administrator Speaks Up In Helena

Valley View Home administrator Wes Thompson has been spending a lot of time in Helena during this legislative session fighting for not only Valley View Home in Glasgow, but also nursing homes across Montana that are struggling to stay open and care for loved ones. Thompson was one of four speakers at a virtual press conference on March 30, moderated by Margie MacDonald, a lobbyist for Big Sky 55+. The topic of the press conference was to talk about how the Montana Legislature has, so far, failed to meet the state-funded Guidehouse study’s recommended benchmark for Medicaid provider rates, including those for Senior Long-Term Care facilities. Other press conference speakers, who spoke about the impacts of being underfunded, included John and Carol Harwood, from Colstrip, parents whose adult child lived in a Group Home for adults with developmental disabilities; David Trost, president and CEO of St. John’s United, Billings; and Representative Mary Caferro (D-Helena) who is the sponsor of HB 649, which would fully fund critical provider rates.

According to Representative Caferro, HB 649 funds the Medicaid provider rates at the benchmark identified by Governor Gianforte’s Guidehouse Cost Study. The Study’s goal was to find out how much it costs in Montana to deliver health care as a Medicaid provider and then to base decisions on the data provided in the study. “House Bill 649, that’s exactly what it does. I want to make clear the people whose lives would be impacted are people with developmental disabilities, children and adults, people who have mental illness, children and adults, people who have physical disabilities, children and adults, foster care children, senior citizens. I think that I covered all of the broad spectrum of people that would be impacted positively if this bill were to pass right now,” explained Representative Caferro. “Right now Bill 649 is in the appropriations committee waiting for a revised fiscal note based on some amendments that were put on in the committee.”

Thompson brought Valley View Home and Glasgow into the press conference by discussing what Valley View Home has been going through since the 2020 pandemic. “We are sunk. Right now, we are only standing by because we receive grant funding through the USDA, through the EHC tax credits. Those are the only reasons why we are open right now,” stated Thompson. “We are trying desperately to continue to support Valley County and to support our neighboring county, Phillips County, because the Malta Nursing Home is also shutdown.”

Since the closure of Malta’s nursing home, Hi-Line Retirement Center, Valley View Home has taken a few of their residents while also helping those in health services achieve their dream of working in the profession. One of the Home’s Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Kayla Young always had a dream of working long term care in Malta. While going to school she found out that Hi-Line Retirement Center was closing which crushed her. Luckily she was able to find a position at Valley View Home. Part of her story, along with other staff and residents will be broadcasted in a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) special slated to air later this month titled “A Day In The Life Of Valley View Home.”

The PBS crew came to the home in March and attended staff meetings, interviewed staff as well as residents who have been impacted by other long-term care closures in the State.

During the press conference, Thompson stressed how healthcare services needs to be the state’s investment. “Instead we continue to have to battle. So I’m here to help Representative Caferro and hope that HB 649 pulls through. If it does not, I assure you Valley View Home will not be around for the next few years,” stated Thompson.