Elected officials and immigrant advocates gathered at a Manchester nursing home to discuss the impact of revoking Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Haitians in Connecticut on the state’s healthcare workforce.

Healthcare Staffing Crisis

The loss of TPS means that many Haitians, who have lived in the US for over a decade, can no longer work legally and may face deportation. This has already led to the loss of staff at healthcare facilities, exacerbating the existing staffing shortage that worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stephanie Deceus, vice president of SEIU District 1199, which represents workers at the Westside Care Center nursing home, emphasized the importance of these workers in the healthcare system. “These are registered nurses, LPNs, CNAs, home care workers, group home workers. These are people who make the full chain of care,” she said.

Matthew Barrett, president and CEO of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities, reported that some facilities have lost as many as 13 workers due to the end of TPS for Haitians. He noted that the loss of even one or two employees is significant, especially during a staffing shortage.

Impact on Patient Care

Sen. Saud Anwar, a physician, warned that the loss of staff will affect patient health. “What this would mean for individuals is the ones who need their treatment, the medications, they will not get this in time. The ones who need their bed changed, they will not get that in time. That is going to develop more infections, skin infections,” he said.

Anwar also noted that these conditions can lead to increased hospitalizations, putting a strain on already overwhelmed hospitals.

Comptroller Sean Scanlon urged Congress to pass a bill that would extend TPS for Haitians, citing the importance of these workers in the healthcare system.

Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.