The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com
Donald O. Lagace, Jr., is a retired brigadier general and assistant adjutant general of the Maine Army National Guard. He is the chair of the Maine Veterans’ Homes board of trustees.
As chair of the Maine Veterans’ Homes (MVH) board, I urge the Maine Legislature to fund LD 182 in the supplemental budget as a baseline allocation. This bill, unanimously supported by the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, proposes nearly $6.8 million which, when combined with Special Revenue Funds and federal matching funds, will address the gap between MVH’s costs and MaineCare reimbursement rates. These funds will preserve a system of care that upholds the commitment made to veterans who served to protect our freedom.
In 2022, after experiencing years of operational funding challenges, the board of trustees reluctantly decided to close the Caribou and Machias facilities. In response, the governor and the Legislature provided one-year funding and the board agreed to collaborate with them to secure sustainable funding for all six homes. In August 2022, the Legislature directed MVH with the commissioner of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management, and the commissioner of Health and Human Services, to assemble a group of relevant stakeholders to develop a plan for the long-term viability of the Maine Veterans’ Homes.
The stakeholders group included representatives from the governor’s office, DHHS, Maine Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management, Togus Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Veterans Services Offices, Maine Veterans Coordinating Committee, Long Term Care Ombudsman, Maine Health Care Association, MVH employees, residents, and family members. MVH and DHHS also engaged BerryDunn as a consultant given their depth of expertise in the senior living industry.
On March 1, 2023, the stakeholder group presented the following six findings and recommendations to the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee:
- Keep the current non-profit model versus a state-owned or operated Veterans’ Homes.
- Suggest the Legislature examine financing options used in other states, as described in BerryDunn’s report to ensure MVH financial sustainability.
- Maintain quality of care.
- Remain open in current geographic locations.
- Diversify services to support a continuum of care for veterans.
- Develop shared staff relationships and recruitment strategies to address workforce challenges.
The findings emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity and excellence of Maine Veterans’ Homes. The collaborative effort between state agencies, veterans’ organizations, and the community was a testament to the shared commitment to those who served. These recommendations underscored the urgency for legislative action to safeguard the future of MVH while adapting to the evolving needs of the veteran population.
Maine Veterans’ Homes board of trustees embraced and continues to uphold five of the six stakeholders group’s recommendations. And while the Legislature has since passed one-year funding in addition to funding received in the governor’s budget, the Legislature has not complied with the most significant of the stakeholders group’s recommendation — ensuring MVH financial sustainability. Maine Veterans’ Homes continues to fight and lobby each year for funds to survive.
In April 2024, the Second Session of the 131st Legislature approved one-year funding of $13.3 million (comprising General Fund, matching federal funds, and Special Revenue Funds) for MVH through LD 2214. MVH has not received the appropriated funds yet.
More than two years after the stakeholders group recommended sustainable funding for MVH, the Legislature is once again postured to fulfill this recommendation and meet Maine’s moral obligation to its veterans. Failing to provide LD 182 funds as a baseline in the supplemental budget would place Maine Veterans’ Homes in jeopardy and could result in veterans losing high-quality care when they are the most vulnerable.
The recent closure of Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville and of other hospital units and nursing facilities throughout Maine represent serious challenges for our state. We must not allow Maine Veterans’ Homes to follow suit.
These funds represent a small price to pay to honor our veterans and enable MVH to continue its legacy as one of the premier long-term care systems in the nation for quality, innovation, and service. Maine’s Veterans deserve nothing less!
