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Lawmakers press veterans office on home staffing, cemetery expansion and VFW service-office funding
Summary
The House subcommittee reviewed the governor's recommended spending for the Office of Veterans Services including operations at the Bristol veterans home, cemetery capital plans and a request from the Veterans of Foreign Wars for continued funding of its VA-accredited service officers.
The House Finance subcommittee on health and human services took testimony on the governor's budget recommendations for the Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services and for veterans support organizations on April 1.
Why it matters: The veterans home in Bristol, the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter and the statewide veterans'resource center are central to the state's services for veterans; operating and capital decisions affect long-term capacity, staffing needs and eligibility for federal matching funds.
Key fiscal items and capacity data presented Veterans office staff and fiscal staff briefed the subcommittee on the governor's recommendations and operational status of key programs. Director Yarn (Office of Veterans Services) and presenting fiscal staff gave the following figures: - Veterans home capacity and occupancy: The current facility, rebuilt and opened in 2017 with 208 beds overall, has six neighborhood units; as of April 1 the facility census was reported at roughly 41'43 residents, with one neighborhood (Foxtrot) offline and another only partially occupied. - Governor's recommendation for veterans home operations: About $46.0 million for FY2026…
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