On December 29, 2023, Gov. Dan McKee (D) signed an executive order suspending fines for nursing homes that fail to meet minimum staffing standards. McKee shared that since January 2020, Rhode Island has lost over $50 million in annual nursing home funding and six nursing homes have closed due to inability to staff, which has caused over 100 Rhode Island residents to relocate to different nursing facilities. Senior Communications Advisor, Matt Sheaff, shared that the executive order’s purpose is to provide “clarity and predictability” regarding nursing home minimum staffing fines while the administration works to find long-term solutions and prevent further closures.
