Pulse brief · 1 cited source · July 17, 2026
Nurse threatens court fight over Cattaraugus County home care closure
Jessica Shaffer told county lawmakers she may sue over the closure of the health department's home care program, which has shrunk from 225 patients in November to 88 in June.
Jessica Shaffer, an Allegany registered nurse, emailed Cattaraugus County lawmakers Tuesday saying she is prepared to take the county to court over its decision to end the health department's home care program, and attended county legislature committee meetings Wednesday without getting legislators to talk to her. County Administrator Kelly J. Reed told her the program will not close until the last patient has been transferred to the Visiting Nursing Association, the only other certified home care agency in the county, and said she does not believe there is a date for an official vote, citing strict state Health Department confidentiality rules around closure plans. The 2026 county budget cut home care wages from the $2.6 million adopted in 2025 to $1.3 million. The program's census has fallen from 225 patients last November to 88 in June, and earlier this month four nurses were covering about 50 patients.
Evidence
Each statement shown below is a verified claim this source supports.
- Jessica Shaffer of Allegany, a registered nurse, emailed Cattaraugus County lawmakers Tuesday saying she is prepared to take the county to court over its decision to end the health department's home care program.
- Cattaraugus County has decided to end its health department's home care program.
- The home care program's patient census fell from 225 last November to 88 in June.
- Shaffer attended county legislature committee meetings Wednesday but was unable to get legislators to talk to her.
- County Administrator Kelly J. Reed said the program would not close until the last patient has been transferred to the Visiting Nursing Association, the only other certified home care agency in the county.
- Reed said she does not believe there is a date for an official vote, citing strict New York state guidelines, and said state Health Department regulations require strict confidence in handling a home care closure and transfer of patients.
- The 2026 Cattaraugus County budget cut home care program wages from the $2.6 million adopted in 2025 to $1.3 million.
- Earlier this month, four nurses were providing care for about 50 patients in the county home care program.