Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson has confirmed that his proposal to transition the county’s Meadowview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center into a fourth state-operated Veterans Home has been declined by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
According to Levinson, he received a letter from Brigadier General Yvonne Mays informing him of the decision despite that representatives from DMAVA who spoke with county officials and toured the facility located in Northfield were extremely impressed with its cleanliness, amenities and staff.
“We’re disappointed with the decision, especially since we had so much support from veteran organizations, community members and our own employees who looked forward to expanding the care of our veterans,” said Levinson.
Meadowview includes a 30-bed Veterans Wing that has been a very successful component of the 180-bed skilled nursing facility, located at 235 Dolphin Avenue in Northfield.
Last August, Levinson had proposed that DMAVA, which operates three Veterans Homes in New Jersey in cooperation with the Veterans Administration, consider transitioning the county’s nursing home into a fourth such facility. Veterans Homes are presently located in Paramus, Menlo Park and Vineland.
Levinson acknowledged that since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been extremely difficult to secure nursing staff which has resulted in an increase in empty beds and loss of revenue.
“We’re operating at a loss of approximately $5 million a year which we can no longer absorb,” he said. “When I became county executive in 2000, there were 21 county-operated nursing homes in New Jersey. Meadowview is now one of only three in the state.”
Levinson has been clear that while the county would still like to see Meadowview transition to a veterans’ facility, without interest from the Veterans Administration or state DMAVA, the county must consider other options, including selling the facility.
“Should we issue a request for proposals, we will be clear that any interested party must provide assurances for existing staff and residents. We want a commitment of 24 months employment with benefits for existing staff. We will not turn our backs on them,” he stated.
“I still believe there is a need for a dedicated veterans’ facility in our area, which Meadowview could easily fulfill,” Levinson said. “It is ideally located near our Veterans Services office, county transportation, public health, senior services, a senior nutrition site, dental clinic and more, with access to public transportation and free parking. Not to mention, we have experienced staff and a viable facility.”
“We will look for the best deal for our taxpayers with a preference for the care of our veterans.”