Councilman Gives Update on Veterans Nursing Facility

The skilled nursing facility that was awarded to Buffalo by the State of Wyoming last year was originally scheduled to begin construction sometime in 2021 but the entire project has been moved up by one year, according to Buffalo City Councilman Travis Lawrence.

Lawrence is on the committee overseeing the planning and construction of the facility, and he said with the project expected to break ground this summer, it is still realistically 18 to 24 months out for construction to be completed before the facility opens for veterans.

One issue that was a concern for the local hospital, nursing homes, and other care facilities was the current shortage of certified nursing assistants, which could possibly be worse when the veterans facility opens.

Lawrence said that is something he is concerned with as well, but there are some plans and ideas being discussed to try to address that issue.

Lawrence said there is some brainstorming for ideas between healthcare providers in Buffalo to find ways to attract and keep applicants for these high-turnover jobs they all need.

We will have more on that in an upcoming story.