Governor Tim Walz and DFL legislative leaders visiting a Coon Rapids nursing home this afternoon to highlight $173 million in new funding approved during the last legislative session.
"Park Rivers Estate's Care Center in Coon Rapids received $311,000 at the start of the month. As part of that deal, Care Center founder Steve Chies explains what that first round of grant money will help with.
"The $311,000 is really about the ability for us to catch up on different things," explains Chies. "Items, expanding the building, paying off debt, doing some other things. The other funds that the speaker and the governor talked about are aimed right at the employees."
Nursing homes are set to receive another round of grant money around this time next year. During the pandemic, nursing homes struggled to retain workers.
"I'm really proud that this group came together, reached some compromises," said Walz. "As I was just mentioning to Steve, the check isn't in the mail, it's in the bank."
Direct payments went out August 1 to nursing facilities which make up the largest portion of the bill’s appropriations, totaling $173.5 million. Another $75 million would go toward a workforce incentive grant program designed to help recruit and retain workers.
The bill also earmarks $21.3 million in fiscal year 2024 and $15.2 million in fiscal year 2025 for a temporary daily rate add-on for facilities that would come to $12.32 per resident day.
The bill passed with bipartisan support.