State Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) has announced the distribution of the second round of Nursing Facility Grants, which will benefit 11 nursing care facilities in Senate District 9. The grants are part of a $173.5 million funding initiative, distributed in two payments in August 2023 and August 2024. Each facility receives a base payment of $225,000 plus an estimated $3,900 per bed.

“This funding is improving the financial stability of our nursing homes and helping to sustain the important services they provide,” Sen. Rasmusson said.

In Senate District 9, a total of 11 nursing homes received their first payment on Aug. 1, 2023, and their second payment by Aug. 1, 2024. The grants can be used for various fiscal management strategies to improve the financial health of nursing homes.

In total, the Nursing Facility Grants provided more than $5 million for local nursing homes with the following funding for each facility:

• Barrett Care Center in Barrett: $387,815

• Browns Valley Health Center in Browns Valley: $375,603

• Evansville Care Center in Evansville: $347,112

• Good Samaritan Society in Battle Lake: $432,589

• LB Broen Home in Fergus Falls: $526,208

• Pelican Valley Health Center in Pelican Rapids: $359,322

• Perham Living in Perham: $546,559

• PioneerCare Center in Fergus Falls: $652,389

• St. Francis Home in Breckenridge: $600,836

• St. Williams Living Center in Parkers Prairie, $440,730

• Traverse Care Center in Wheaton: $404,096

“Thanks to Senator Rasmusson’s determined advocacy, the people we serve can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that their needs will be met, and their quality of life will be enhanced,” Nathan Johnson, CEO of PioneerCare and Chair-Elect of the LeadingAge Minnesota Board of Directors, shared. “His work is a testament to his unwavering commitment to our seniors and the overall well-being of our communities.”

This funding is part of the bipartisan $300 million package passed by the Minnesota legislature in 2023 to address the crisis facing nursing homes across the state. As reported by the Star Tribune, Senate Republicans made nursing home aid a “top priority” in end-of-session negotiations, with Sen. Rasmusson playing a lead role in shaping the aid package.

Sen. Rasmusson’s role in securing this critical funding was also recognized by LeadingAge Minnesota, an advocacy group for Minnesota’s aging population. The organization named Sen. Rasmusson as its 2023 Public Official of the Year.