Committee prioritizes long‑term care and short‑term rehab in operational planning exercise

Assistant county manager Jenna Nutter led an operational planning exercise on June 19 to help the committee identify priority services to maintain or consider increasing and services that could be reviewed if funding or staffing constraints occurred.

Participants used a service catalog and post‑its to indicate priorities. Members converged on traditional long‑term care and short‑term rehabilitation as the top two priorities; short‑term rehab was described by members as an important revenue source (higher Medicare reimbursement) that helps sustain long‑term care offerings. Memory care was discussed as a close third priority but members indicated short‑term rehab supports overall financial stability.

For services the committee would consider reviewing if constraints arose, Meals on Wheels and clinical student site participation were named: Meals on Wheels was noted for its social benefit and modest revenue characteristics, while clinical placements were described as a strategic short‑term investment that can support staffing pipelines.

Nutter and members emphasized this was an educational exercise to inform budget and legislative priorities; no binding policy changes were made. The committee will use results to inform future budget conversations and possible advocacy.