Governor Tim Walz says he’ll activate the Minnesota National Guard to help ease pressure on the state’s long term care facilities due to COVID-19.
The governor announced a plan today (Monday) to form skilled nursing “response teams” for facilities experiencing staffing shortages. Over the next seven days upwards of 400 National Guard members will start training as certified nursing assistants and temporary nursing aides.
In a prepared statement Walz says the Department of Health will work closely with the National Guard to direct the deployment of response teams to skilled-nursing facilities around the state.
The Walz Administration will also use $50 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding for immediate emergency grants to long-term care facilities for employee hiring and retention.
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