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Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs outlines services, housing and suicide-prevention priorities
Summary
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs briefed the Senate subcommittee on veterans today, presenting service counts, the agency's programs including veterans homes and cemeteries, homelessness work and a request for operating increases tied to healthcare and programs and services.
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) told the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans and Military Affairs on Jan. 27 that it serves an estimated 286,000 veterans statewide and is prioritizing homelessness prevention and suicide-prevention work while maintaining veterans homes and cemetery operations.
"For the record, my name is Brad Lindsay. I'm the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs," Commissioner Brad Lindsay said as he opened the department's overview. MDVA deputies Ben Johnson and Eric Maittinen and government affairs director John Kelly joined the presentation.
MDVA officials said federal estimates show about 286,000 veterans live in Minnesota (roughly 5.15% of the state population) with about 55,000 having served since Sept. 11, 2001. The agency said it operates eight state veterans homes and four state veterans cemeteries, and that the legislature has authorized a fifth cemetery. MDVA also maintains field offices, tribal veteran service officers on reservations, and campus-based outreach for students using education benefits.
Deputy Commissi…
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