FRANCISCAN HEALTH CENTER DULUTH HEALTH SERVICES A s the administrators at Franciscan Health Center and Duluth Health Services, which is Viewcrest Health Center in Duluth and Suncrest Assisted Living in Scanlon, We can speak firsthand about the shock and disappointment felt by long-term care providers around the state when negotiations stalled and the legislative session ended with no funding approved to address the severe staff shortage. I can also speak to the fear we feel about the future as we strive to provide care to seniors who need it. There are over 23,000 open positions for professional caregivers throughout Minnesota. Already, 78% of care settings are limiting admissions and turning seniors away due to staffing shortages even if beds are available. For our caregivers, who love our residents and feel called to serve them, low wages make it very hard to stay. Viewcrest and Franciscan has had to limit admissions several times over the past year and currently have multiple open positions. The funding reimbursement system that allows care settings to increase caregiver wages is deeply flawed, forcing operators to wait up to two years to recover costs. A third of care settings have raised wages by 10% or more, but without state funding to support these increases, it's only a short-term band-aid. More than 400 care settings may close in the next year without state action, which could displace more than 14,000 seniors. The state must provide more funding for long-term care settings so that we can raise wages to recruit and retain our staff and continue to care for our seniors. Minnesotans are counting on our leaders to fulfill their obligation to ensure access to care. Chester Fishel Hibbing, MN Brittany Loosbrock Duluth, MN FRANCISCAN HEALTH CENTER DULUTH HEALTH SERVICES A s the administrators at Franciscan Health Center and Duluth Health Services , which is Viewcrest Health Center in Duluth and Suncrest Assisted Living in Scanlon , We can speak firsthand about the shock and disappointment felt by long - term care providers around the state when negotiations stalled and the legislative session ended with no funding approved to address the severe staff shortage . I can also speak to the fear we feel about the future as we strive to provide care to seniors who need it . There are over 23,000 open positions for professional caregivers throughout Minnesota . Already , 78 % of care settings are limiting admissions and turning seniors away due to staffing shortages even if beds are available . For our caregivers , who love our residents and feel called to serve them , low wages make it very hard to stay . Viewcrest and Franciscan has had to limit admissions several times over the past year and currently have multiple open positions . The funding reimbursement system that allows care settings to increase caregiver wages is deeply flawed , forcing operators to wait up to two years to recover costs . A third of care settings have raised wages by 10 % or more , but without state funding to support these increases , it's only a short - term band - aid . More than 400 care settings may close in the next year without state action , which could displace more than 14,000 seniors . The state must provide more funding for long - term care settings so that we can raise wages to recruit and retain our staff and continue to care for our seniors . Minnesotans are counting on our leaders to fulfill their obligation to ensure access to care . Chester Fishel Hibbing , MN Brittany Loosbrock Duluth , MN