AUSTIN, Texas — State lawmakers are tackling how to spend $16 billion in federal COVID relief money. 

A Senate proposal includes more than $7 billion to ensure businesses are not faced with an increase in unemployment taxes due to pandemic-related layoffs, $3 billion to deploy hospital surge staffing, purchase therapeutic drugs and support regional infusion centers, about $500 million for broadband expansion and $100 million to support Texas Food Banks.

But at least one group is already criticizing the plan for not funding long-term care facilities as nursing homes deal with a staffing crisis.

“It’s very disheartening,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association, a nursing home industry group. “What it results in and the concerns we have is, will families have difficulties finding places for their loved ones to live if they’re looking for a new placement because a facility just doesn’t have the necessary staff to add additional patients?”

THCA is asking the state for $400 million in federal coronavirus relief to address the staffing issues.

According to a recent survey by THCA and Leading Age Texas, 70% of long-term care facilities said they are unable to hire enough nurses and more than 30% have restricted new admissions due to staffing shortages. Adding to the urgency, the fact that 40% of the state’s 100,000 nursing home employees aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 and they could face a federal ultimatum to do so later this month.

“If those staff decide to leave because they don’t want to be vaccinated, it only exacerbates what’s already a really critical situation,” Warren said.

Click the video link above to watch our full interview with Warren.