Minnesota Veterans Home – Preston

Careers Newsletter Summer 2022

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You are receiving this message because you subscribed to updates from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) regarding employment opportunities at the new Minnesota Veterans Home – Preston. Thank you for your interest. The Home is scheduled to open in summer of 2023.

Summer greetings from the Minnesota Veterans Home – Preston. Progress continues on this beautiful 54-bed facility at 1112 Overlook Drive, which is scheduled to open in summer 2023.

Career News: Help Us Serve Our Heroes

The Preston Veterans Home will require approximately 115 full-time and part-time employees to be fully staffed. 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 Veterans Home Administrator position will be announced for application on the Minnesota Careers website in September 2022. This position requires Minnesota licensure as a Nursing Home Administrator, and we will be looking for an experienced, compassionate and skilled Administrator to lead the final construction activities and opening of the Home.

The Director of Nursing position will be announced for application in October 2022, and the two Human Resources’ positions are anticipated to be announced for application in November/December 2022. Continue to look on the Minnesota Careers website for these and other MDVA job opportunities and to set up email Job Notifications. The other positions/roles noted above will be announced for application starting in 2023.

We encourage you to watch for hiring updates in our future communications and on our website at MinnesotaVeteran.org/FutureHomes. You can also:

• Review our careers information
• Sign up here for our monthly Human Resources Jobs Bulletin
• Email job inquiries to NewHomesJobs@state.mn.us

Quarterly Stakeholders Meeting Offers Preston Veterans Home Update

In June, local and county government officials, along with a variety of long-time planners and advocates for Preston’s new Veterans Home, met with MDVA Commissioner Larry Herke, Deputy Commissioner of Healthcare Douglas Hughes and other senior leaders for updates on the project. Here is what was shared:

• Construction is on schedule and Knutson Construction is meeting targeted milestones.
• The 2022 Minnesota Legislature provided additional funding of $6.9 million to enhance the Home’s safety, convenience and aesthetic factors.
• Potential Residents can submit their application to live at the Preston Veterans Home beginning Sept. 15, 2022, at 8 a.m. CST. Move-ins are anticipated to occur in summer 2023. Questions about the application process? Email us at NewHomesAdmissions@state.mn.us
• We were pleased to host a well-attended Vendor Information Session in Preston to encourage local vendors to register with the State of Minnesota and become a local supplier for our Home. Questions? Please visit the Office of Equity in Procurement (OEP).

Our next Stakeholders Meeting is scheduled to be held in Sept. 2022.

Fun Facts

• If you were to lay out 5,280 M9 bayonets tip to tail, it would equal the length of the mechanical piping that will be installed within the new Veterans Home building.
• During the Korean War, the Douglas A-26 Invader was a commonly used aircraft. This aircraft has a twin-engine medium bomber and was used for heavy attacks. If we were to line up 100 Douglas A-26 Invader aircrafts nose to tail, it would equal the length of the low voltage wire being installed in this new facility.

Looking to do business with the Preston Veterans Home?

We’re focused on showing Preston individuals and businesses how they can provide goods and services to our future Veterans Home as well as how to find other State and Federal contract opportunities. There’s a lot to learn about how things get done to become a vendor with State and Federal agencies, such as getting a supplier number, creating a capabilities sheet, registering to receive bid notices, becoming certified, and more. You can find contract opportunities right in your own backyard; we want to make it as easy as possible for communities to work with us! For information on State contracts, visit the Office of Equity in Procurement (OEP). For Federal contracts, visit the Minnesota Procurement Technical Assistance Center (MN PTAC).

Here is a sampling of the goods and services we’ll be needing at the Preston Veterans Home:

Learn About Veterans Issues: PsychArmor Courses

If you’re interested in joining our team to serve those who have served, consider checking out PsychArmor. PsychArmor is a nonprofit organization providing education and training to improve the health and life outcomes of military-connected individuals. Every Minnesotan whose path may cross that of a Veteran can benefit from gaining a better understanding of the military culture and the many unique issues that exist within this population. There are more than 250 online, self-paced courses – all free of charge – for employers, employees, family members, faith communities, and more. To learn more, visit psycharmor.org.

Preston Construction Milestones

All of us at MDVA are excited to see visible progress being made after many years of advocacy, hard work and planning. Work is currently running on time, including:

• Slab on grade for the building will be completed by the end of July.
• Underground mechanical, electrical and plumbing will be completed by August 1.
• The parking lot and road areas will have rock completed by mid-August.
• Sheetrocking on the first of three households will be done by the end of August.

You can watch the construction progress of the Minnesota State Veterans Home – Preston through the onsite camera.

Knutson Construction shares greetings from its team and the new Preston Veterans Home during Trout Days 2022.

What’s coming up next?

• The roof should be completed by the end of September.
• Interior finishes will begin in August.
• Exterior masonry is scheduled to conclude in October.

Seasonal construction targets

Barring any unforeseen weather or supply chain challenges, we’ve set the following schedule for reaching significant milestones between now and when the facility opens.

Resident Application Process Reminder

• Applications will begin to be accepted at 8 a.m. CST on Thursday, Sept. 15; documents will be dated and timestamped as received. Only a complete package with all required materials will be added to the wait list.
• Applicants will be contacted to confirm receipt and that they are on the wait list.
• 30-90 days prior to anticipated admission: Those on the active list will be contacted for financial and relevant clinical information.
• Admissions occur based on MN Administrative Rule 9050 process that requires all prospective admissions be notified in writing.
• Letter will be U.S. Mailed.
• Central Office Social Services Program Manager will follow up with the Resident/family to discuss acceptance, potential admission date, or the desire to move to the bottom of the list.
• Veterans have first preference.
• New admissions will be staggered and gradual.

Questions about living at the new Preston Veterans Home?

Reach out to us at NewHomesAdmissions@state.mn.us.