What you need to know: On National Caregivers Day, Support Skilled Nursing Patients is calling on state leaders to restore $300 million in workforce and quality care funding to protect vulnerable patients, support caregivers and ensure the long-term care system remains a lifeline for California families.
SACRAMENTO, CA – On National Caregivers Day, Supporting Skilled Nursing Patients is honoring the dedicated nurses, certified nursing assistants, therapists, social workers and support staff who provide 24-hour care to California’s most vulnerable seniors and individuals with disabilities. The coalition is also urging policymakers to prioritize fair and adequate funding for skilled nursing facilities, including reinstating $300 million in Workforce Quality Incentive Program (WQIP) funding to support frontline caregivers and patient care.
“Investing in caregivers is investing in patients,” said Cassie Dunham, CEO/President of the California Association of Health Facilities. “On National Caregivers Day, we ask state leaders to stand with the workforce that stands with California’s seniors and families every single day.”
In July 2025, a state budget cut to WQIP – the state’s workforce and quality improvement program — led to a $300 million permanent reduction in critical resources that support high-quality care and workforce investments for hundreds of thousands of skilled nursing patients.
“Caregivers are the backbone of our long-term care system,” said Aimee Paulson, DNP, President of California Association of Nurse Practitioners. “On National Caregivers Day, we celebrate their compassion and commitment — but celebration is not enough. Without restoring the $300 million in workforce and quality care funding, facilities will continue to struggle to recruit and retain staff, and patients will suffer.”
The consequences of chronic underfunding of skilled nursing facilities:
- Workforce shortages that undermine safe staffing levels
- Reduced access to essential medical and rehabilitative services
- Deferred maintenance and deteriorating care environments
- Risk of SNF closures, especially in rural and underserved communities where alternatives do not exist
“Californians rely on skilled nursing caregivers during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives,” said Amber King, Vice President of Legislative Affairs of LeadingAge California. “Stable, adequate funding ensures that compassionate, well-trained professionals are at the bedside when they’re needed most.”
As budget negotiations continue, the coalition is pressing lawmakers to restore WQIP funding and warns that the 2026 Medi-Cal rate-setting must deliver adequate, fair and sustainable long-term funding. Chronic underfunding of skilled nursing facilities threatens access to care for our most vulnerable patients.
ABOUT US: California’s more than 1,000 Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) are the backbone of California’s long-term care system, providing essential 24-hour medical care to over 445,000 of California’s most vulnerable patients – seniors, individuals with disabilities and those recovering from serious illness or injury. Supporting Skilled Nursing Patients is a coalition advocating for fair funding for Skilled Nursing Facility patients and continued access to high-quality medical care.