Title
Requesting that the Minnesota legislature and the federal government allocate funding to support Minnesota Veterans Home - Minneapolis.
Body
Whereas, the Minnesota Veterans Home - Minneapolis offers the most convenient and geographically accessible location for veterans who live in Saint Paul; and
Whereas, this facility, established in 1887 by the Minnesota Legislature and located on a 53-acre Mississippi River bluff site in a National Park and adjacent to the VA Medical Center and VA Regional Benefits Center, offers a beautiful and peaceful setting with a wide array of services to assist veterans; and
Whereas, in 1978, there were 500 beds available and recent much needed upgrades to the facility including the addition of single occupancy rooms and private baths resulted in a loss of overall beds and today there are 341 beds of which 300 are skilled nursing care beds; and
Whereas, The Minneapolis Veterans Home has the longest waiting list in Minnesota and the longest wait times in Minnesota; and
Whereas, 245,711 veterans are served by the Minneapolis Veterans Home; and
Whereas, the current number of skilled care beds equates to one skilled care bed available for 819 veterans and in the other three state veterans homes located in the northeast, northwest and southwest areas of the state there are considerably more beds per capita of veterans resulting in one skilled care bed for 331 veterans; and
Whereas, the existing shortage of beds at the Minneapolis Veterans Home combined with 82 percent of the state’s population growth located in the seven county metro area makes a clear case for replacement of the beds lost; and
Whereas, veterans in the metro area deserve access to skilled care nursing when they need it, not a year from now;
Now, therefore be it resolved, that the Saint Paul City Council urges state and federal lawmakers to support the replacement of the 150 beds that have been lost by adding skilled nursing beds to the facility.