Below you will find some of the most common questions asked regarding the new proposed State Veterans Homes.
All three of the new State Veterans Homes are planned to open in mid-2023. Construction is on schedule.
Grand opening events are scheduled for late May/early June in Preston, mid-July in Bemidji and mid-August in Montevideo.
Resident admissions will be staggered and gradual. A small number of Residents will be admitted and then the Home must successfully complete an inspection by both the Minnesota Department of Health on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. After those surveys have been completed, additional Residents will be admitted.
All Residents must require skilled nursing care. Eligible Residents come from two categories:
Resident Admission Applications began being accepted September 15, 2022. The application form is available on our admissions information page. The form can also be obtained from a County Veterans Service Officer or upon request via email or U.S. Mail by contacting MDVA at NewHomesAdmissions@state.mn.us.
If you have questions regarding the application and waiting list process, please reach out to NewHomesAdmissions@state.mn.us or visit the Minnesota Veterans Homes admissions page on our website for more details.
Positions will include a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, Director of Nursing, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, Social Workers, Recreation Therapists, Human Resources, Accounting/Finance, Housekeepers, Facility Maintenance, Skilled Trades, Dietary/Food Services, and more.
The Home Administrators will be hired in Fall 2022. The Director of Nursing and Human Resources staff will be hired by early 2023. They will then begin the hiring process for all staff in preparation for a mid-2023 opening.
If you are interested in a future career in a Minnesota Veterans Home, we encourage you to sign up for our quarterly Careers and Construction Update newsletter.
Residential units will all be private with private bathrooms and will be split into smaller “households,” avoiding long institutional-feeling hallways. Residents will enjoy a serving kitchen and dining area in each household where the smells and sounds of meal preparation will make the space feel like home.
The Bemidji Home’s design reflects a North woods cabin feel for the public spaces that include a Town Center featuring a small coffee shop/cafe, theater/meeting room, family dining room, meditation room/chapel, and club room.
The Montevideo Home’s design reflects a prairie-style inspired design that integrates natural materials such as wood and stone into the spaces. The public spaces include a Town Center featuring a small coffee shop/cafe, theater/meeting room, family dining room, meditation room/chapel, and club room. A large community room is also included and was funded by a generous community donation.
The Preston Home’s design takes advantage of the bluff-top views and beautiful surroundings. There will be numerous windows throughout the facility to bring in natural light and a fenced-in courtyard. Public spaces include a Town Center featuring a small coffee shop/cafe, theater/meeting room, family dining room, meditation room/chapel, and club room.
Yes, we encourage local businesses to register with the State of Minnesota and become a local supplier for the new Homes. Each community held a Vendor Information Meeting in June to share more details on this process. For more information, please visit the State of Minnesota Office of Equity in Procurement (OEP).
Construction funds are a combination of Federal-granted (65%) and State-bonded and pending community-provided monies (35%). In 2018, the State of Minnesota passed a bonding bill that funded the State portion of the new Homes’ construction costs. An application was then made to the Federal VA Construction Grant Program for the remaining 65%. In 2021, the Federal VA funded the remaining portion of the construction costs.
In May 2022, the first Veterans-specific Omnibus Bill in the modern legislative era was signed into law. It included more than $26 million in additional construction funding for the three new Minnesota Veterans Homes. These appropriations will cover construction escalation costs and enable MDVA to outfit the new Homes with furniture, fixtures, equipment and enhanced exterior amenities.
The total estimated expenditures to operate one new 72-bed facility is approximately $10 million annually. Current State Veterans Homes are financed by three primary sources: State general fund appropriation (60%), Federal VA per diem (30%), and maintenance charges paid by Residents (10%). The maintenance charges are based on the Residents' ability to pay.
Wold Architecture along with Perkins Eastman have designed all three new Homes.
Knutson Construction is leading the construction of the Montevideo and Preston Veterans Homes. Adolfson & Peterson Construction is leading the construction of the Bemidji Veterans Home.
Yes, you can view live construction progress via on-site webcams:
Construction-related inquiries should be directed to:
Mike Jandro, MDVA’s State Program Administrative Manager for Facilities
651-274-4945 or mike.jandro@state.mn.us
Chris Kakos, MDVA Agency Planner
612-297-4451 or chris.kakos@state.mn.us
Community relations or media inquiries should be directed to:
Anne Sonnee, MDVA Communications Director
651-757-1536 or anne.sonnee@state.mn.us
